Waning Moon
by Werewolf of Fire
Summary: A collection of oneshots centred around Sesshomaru and Inuyasha – CH 25: Waning Moon, Inuyasha confesses to Sesshomaru. [Rating depends on oneshot, yaoi, inucest] Completed 24.03
1. Introductions

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi...

**Rating:** G

**Warnings: **OOCness...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**1. **Introductions

He is silent as he leaps towards the balcony he knows leads to his little brother's room, even more so is the screen he pushes aside to let himself in. He pauses by the door, bathed in blue light, his hair reflecting the moon as though it were made of calm water. His eyes glow with a gold hue as he takes in the room's décor and its occupant's cot with bored eyes.

The night is peaceful, but there is a sadness lingering about the baby's room, one that Sesshomaru doesn't doubt is caused by his father's death. The human woman is still in mourning, it has been a mere three days since his demise in that disgraceful place, the human's now burnt down home. Sesshomaru can smell her salty tears leaving her, even as she sleeps in the next room.

His steps are quiet as he lazily walks towards the intricately decorated, oak cot, and peers down. Sesshomaru isn't filled with much joy when he sets eyes on a half-blood bundle of white hair and smooth skin: His little brother, only a few days old. The blankets are wrapped around him and of a deeper blue than what his father's markings were.

Sesshomaru's cold eyes narrow and he idly stretches delicate, claw bearing fingers towards the baby's ears. As though each one were a fragile treasure Sesshomaru trails his claws lightly over the rim of his brother's right ear, so different to his own, before doing the same to the left. Sesshomaru studies them intently: Where Sesshomaru's ears stand on each side of his head, his little brother's sit atop of his head, and where the demon's ears are smooth, elegant and pointed, his brother's are triangular and covered in silken fur. Sesshomaru can't help but run the tips of his claws over them again. They remind him of a puppy's.

They twitch and a gurgle alerts Sesshomaru to the fact that the baby's awake. Surprisingly Sesshomaru finds eyes as golden as his own staring up at him curiously, almost far too big for his face. Mesmerised, the demon allows his fingers to trail over a soft cheek, and for one of his fingers to be caught by tiny hands. He receives a toothless grin and a giggle from the baby when he attempts to pull his claws free.

"So you are the disgrace my father allowed himself to die for?" Sesshomaru wonders out loud. The baby simply giggles again, still tugging pathetically on the demon's finger. Sesshomaru hunches himself, so that his moonlit hair falls from his shoulders and waves teasingly in front of the baby's face.

His fingers are immediately released, and Sesshomaru flinches and hurriedly straightens up with astonishment as the baby tugs on his hair. His little brother is wailing after a second of having pulled the silken strands from from his chubby grasp. Sesshomaru can't take his shrill crying, and quickly bends back over, allowing the baby to take hold of silky strands again. A bell-like giggle rings through the room.

"I still don't know of your name, little brother. Mine is Sesshomaru, the Lord of these lands you and your mother live and will walk on."

He gets a confused look in return. The baby is blinking up at him with his huge eyes. He then grins and coos again and pulls on Sesshomaru's hair playfully.

Sesshomaru can't help but feel a flutter of feeling in his chest at that toothless smile.

* * *

**Woffy: **I'm bored so I'm making a collection of one-shots... You know, as something to do... If you think up a better name for this series let me know...

Next theme: _Love_


	2. Love

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi...

**Rating: **G

**Warning/s:** OOCness

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**Waning Moon  
**

**2.** Love

Love.

It is considered a special type of emotion, one that everyone wants to gain from another living being, or so his mother had explained.

There are different kinds of love, which can be revealed in many ways: the love of a husband and wife through tender kisses, the love of a child towards their parent through their smiles, laughs and hugs, or the childish love of a first crush shown with the giving of a sloppy looking bouquet of freshly picked flowers.

Sesshomaru thinks it is selfish to love someone. Because if you love someone, you think of yourself: how _you _would make them smile, the special smile that never fails to cause a burning happiness inside _your_ chest, how they would make _your _life better, how they would make _you _happy.

Sesshomaru doesn't understand the mechanics of love. He doesn't understand how someone can feel so much for a person that it hurts to not be near them, or how a person can render another completely helpless with just a smile. He finds the concept of loving someone to the point of being willing to die for them ridiculous.

Love is unnecessary; it is easy to be selfish without the trouble of wanting to protect a person.

All he needs is himself. He does not protect anyone, and in return he doesn't need nor expect protection.

He is sitting by the tangled roots of a large tree, with Rin and Jaken in front of him, making Rin's dinner. Jaken has just finished cooking a hare. He will eat later, out of his young ward's sight. She would not understand his need for raw meat.

Sesshomaru doesn't understand what keeps him from abandoning this little girl and his annoying servant. He doesn't understand why Inuyasha is still wreaking havoc in his lands, despite having clashed with him in battle many times. They are all annoying, one too loud, another too pathetic, and the other… She is human; he should have left her dead.

The demon lord wonders whether it is a sort of love that keeps Rin and Jaken alive. He wonders whether it is love that holds him back from killing Inuyasha whenever they battle; he is more than strong enough to do so.

It is a plausible explanation. One that Sesshomaru disapproves of immensely. He supposes idly that (if it were the case) his love for Inuyasha is justified; despite their different parenting and upbringing they are half-brothers.

He leaves his brooding as Rin tugs on his kimono and offers him some of the hare that had been cooking. He politely refuses, stating that 'he does not eat human food'. She simply smiles and accepts the answer, and he wonders if it is love that makes him feel when she does.

Later that night he catches the scent of his younger brother and his troop. He is bored, so he follows it. Rin and Jaken are safely sleeping besides Ah Un. It takes a mere few minutes to find the small camp the group have set up. He takes in the scene carefully.

The monk is laying by a tree with the huntress lying a few feet away, the kitsune in her grasp. The neko is curled up by her head. He then catches sight of him, and Sesshomaru wonders whether it is love that causes the angry, hot jealousy to boil in his blood, as Inuyasha cuddles close to the miko, and smiles.

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**Woffy: **Nyeh... I like this one, despite thinking I've stuffed Sesshomaru's character... I need to see more episodes with him in them! -bawls- Anyway... Thanks for the reviews thus far! -thumbs up- 

Oh, just to let you know, these one-shots don't go in any particular order... So Inuyasha may be a toddler in one, a teenager in the next, then a baby again... Sorry if this causes any confusion!

Next theme: _Insanity_


	3. Insanity

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **K+

**Warning/s: **OOCness, character death...

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**Waning Moon**

**3.** Insanity

Humans are fragile creatures. They grow old and die fast. Rin did so, in the same fashion as she did nearly everything else: with a smile on her face. But the pain he'd felt then isn't nearly as insanely life altering as what he is feeling now, with Inuyasha's passing.

He supposes he should have expected the half-breed's death sooner or later. Inuyasha was only ever half demon; it is the only reason he grew to be as old as he did. Even with the demon blood running in his veins, he'd aged much faster than Sesshomaru. And despite being a bit more than two hundred years younger than him, Inuyasha looked more than fifty years older when he finally passed on. He had been four hundred and seventy-two.

Sesshomaru doesn't know if it's normal to feel lonely when one you have hated since his birth dies. But as he stares at the stone erected in the soft earth beside the human woman Izayoi's he thinks it is possible. Again he reads and rereads the neat writing engraved in the centre of the stone; it spells the name of his pathetic half-breed half-brother.

He mulls over any other possibility for the numb feeling that has caused his limbs to feel far too heavy and his mind to feel strangely foggy. Again, he attempts to remember if he's felt so dead inside before, but his mind remains stubbornly blank. Even memories do not want to be seen through the haze in his mind.

He settles for staring at the stone, not feeling the need to move, nor wanting to look away.

The demon Lord remains like this for some time. He simply stands and stares without Rin to distract him with her childish chatter, without Jaken to torment and be annoying, and Inuyasha to curse for his humiliating presence in his life and to their family. Death has claimed them all. Sesshomaru finds that he is alone again.

Sesshomaru slowly returns home, but he feels as though he is dragging himself. He doesn't want to move, but he must. Because he is still the Lord of this land and he has work to do. He cannot allow his subordinates to attend to the work he is so used to completing and is his duty to complete.

However, by the time he takes a step inside his overly large home it is far past sun down and his duties have been taken care of; and Sesshomaru must find something else to do. After having been reported too on the day's events and decisions - he can't find the energy to listen properly, and he soon sent his administrators away - he strides towards his chambers. He swears he hears a happy, bell-like giggle and he is positive he smells fresh flowers as he nears his rooms. He is sure that is Inuyasha telling Jaken in the crude way of his to leave the girl alone.

This discovery makes his steps more meaningful, though Sesshomaru looks deceivingly aloof.

He is sourly disappointed when he slides the door open and enters his chambers to find wilted flowers in the vase sitting on a small table by the back wall. He doesn't have the ability to remove them, he hasn't for the last two hundred and sixty-seven years. There is no sign of Inuyasha and Jaken also, only a two headed staff hanging on his wall and...

The thoughts of Jaken, as well as Rin and her flowers leave the Lord's mind as he spots the Tessaiga looking elegant on his wall opposite his bed. He has finally gained his father's sword – the one he'd been striving to since he'd recognised what it was and how it could aid his journey on his path of extreme conquest.

However, he doesn't feel proud or smug, not like he'd anticipated he would once he finally held Tesseiga; he didn't beat Inuyasha for the sword. Both their time had run out. He hadn't succeeded in defeating his little brother, and Inuyasha is dead.

Sesshomaru knows when he has failed.

"Are you happy now, Inuyasha?" he asks the still air inside his quarters. His voice strong and spiteful, "You have managed to humiliate this Sesshomaru once again."

The silence in the room isn't filled with an answer, but Sesshomaru hardly seems to notice. He simply stares at the fang hanging on his wall. He listens to his little ward's giggles haunting the room. And he is certain that it is Jaken's nervous knocking rattling the door.

* * *

**Woffy: **... Did I mention that these are rather short one-shots? 

Anyway... Thanks for the review _I'm Nova_!

Next theme: _Food_


	4. Food

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **T

**Warnings: **OOCness, mentions decapitation of a small animal...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**4.** Food 

It is time for lunch and a little boy is packing away his toys. He looks like any normal five-year-old, except for his platinum white hair, and the soft furred ears sitting atop his head. He hurriedly rushes to his place by a small table as he hears, as well as smells, his mother's servant nearing his room. His mother is in a meeting of some sort, and he's a bit disappointed to be alone.

He thanks the maid, just like he was taught, as she passes him a small tray with a large plate stacked with food balanced on it. He almost instantly digs in.

He stops after his first bite and turns slightly green. He swallows thickly, before he sniffs his usually delicious food.

Inuyasha doesn't understand why his food smells like the rotting animals he's stumbled across in his exploring of the forest around his mother's village. It hasn't ever smelt so revolting. The smell is making him nauseous; he can barely stand raising another bite to his mouth. He doesn't understand why it tastes worse than the medicine his mother gives him when he is sick. His stomach gurgles quietly, as though whining about feeling sick. Inuyasha thinks it's because of the flips his stomach is doing from his first bite.

He can't stand it, the taste is far too strong, it smells too wretched, and he races to dump his meal of fish and vegetables out the window behind him for the dogs to eat. It takes him a moment to hurry awkwardly back to his seat, careful not to break his mother's plate, which is bigger than his face. The servant looks far happier than she usually does as he shows off a now empty plate at her, seemingly far sooner than she anticipated. Inuyasha is grinning broadly as he does.

However, Inuyasha realises soon after she disappears and he starts bouncing his ball, that he is still hungry. As though angry at him for taking so long to realise this, his tummy growls loudly, causing Inuyasha to jump from fright. He soon realises what caused the noise with a giggle and he pats his tummy as if to soothe it. He begins to pout in thought.

The expression of wonder soon turns to one of complete concentration as Inuyasha's eyebrows knit together and his eyes focus on his nose. That is when he sees them walking to the outskirts of the village, bows slung over their shoulders, and Inuyasha beams at his own idea as he runs to the window; he can go and hunt with the hunters! His mother said he could learn when he is older. He scrunches his face up again; he is older now, right?

It takes him a moment more to decide that he is going and he is quick to leap out the window, clumsily landing in the dirt below. The ground is clean of his food from earlier and the dogs seem to have left. Inuyasha sniffles quietly and rubs his head and right elbow; he landed awkwardly. His tummy grumbles again and he determinedly runs with skinny, little legs after the group of men carrying arrows and bows and laughing together. He can tend to his aches later, now it is time for food.

However, the hunters have disappeared by the time Inuyasha has reached the place they meet, just outside the village. They have already left. Slightly ruffled, but stubborn, Inuyasha crouches low and sniffs the ground. He'd seen the dogs do this, and he has always been able to smell better than his mother or her servants. Perhaps he can do like they do and track the hunters?

Inuyasha face gains a curious look as his nose picks up the scent of animal blood, sweat and dirt. He sniffs again as he takes a step forward, and another, and another, soon he's settled into a careful scuttle, as his fingers are extended and digging into the ground to balance him. All in all he reminds himself of a rabbit – no – a tiger!

He amuses himself with his act as he continues to sniff the ground and scuttle forwards. He should catch up soon! Inuyasha lets out a growl as he comes face to face with a bush. He bares his fangs and scratches his claws against the ground as he leaps through the shrub with a ferocious yelp.

Much to Inuyasha's surprise his head collides with a person's kneecaps. He whines and whimpers, all the while clutching his white crowned head with tears pricking his clenched eyes. He's in trouble...

It takes him a minute for him to realise the person isn't yelling at him.

Inuyasha looks up with his eyes too large.

The person is very pretty, Inuyasha realises with a curious tilt of his head. She has long white hair and he is sure it is sparkling in the speckled lighting caused by the trees' leaves. She also has four red markings, two gracing each pale cheek, with a deep blue crescent moon on her forehead. She doesn't speak, but simply stares down at him with almost uncaring gold eyes. Inuyasha notices her eyes are lined with red just like his mother's. Strangely, she is wearing armour and is carrying a sword; he'd never seen a woman do that.

"Little brother," Inuyasha's eyes narrow from the saucers they were, and his eyebrows knit together; the pretty woman has a very deep voice, "Isn't it enough you disgrace our family's name with your presence without having to act like a barbarian also?"

Inuyasha asks in a confused tone, his head still tilted, his puppy ears flicked outwards, "Inuyasha haves a big sistar?"

"No."

The little boy stands, his injuries long forgotten. He is now very confused, "But you said 'little bwoder'? You did!" Inuyasha crosses his arms in the beginnings of a tantrum.

The woman stares down at him, her face blank. Inuyasha glares back with a stubborn expression.

"I am no female, little brother."

Inuyasha's eyes widen, "You'we a boy? Like Inuyasha?" He asks incredulously. His expression changes from great surprise to suspicion instantly, "You don't look like a boy. You look like a pretty woman, like my mama is!"

The person doesn't look at all impressed, "You have not answered my question, hanyou."

It takes Inuyasha a moment to realise what the man means and he grins before standing up straight, his chest puffed out like that of the proudest peacock, "Inuyasha was being a tiger! Inuyasha was tracking the hunters that work in the village I live in!" He pokes himself in the chest with his left thumb, "Inuyasha is going hunting with them!"

The girly man doesn't move or show any more or less emotion. Inuyasha flicks his ears again, "You are half dog demon, and come from a noble background. Do not sullen our name any further with your games or those humans." He says the word with a great distaste that confuses Inuyasha, "You will not refer to yourself as a 'tiger' again. We are of a higher breed than any cat."

Inuyasha's eyes widen, but he nods feverishly. The girly man nods once too before stepping forward, causing Inuyasha to stumble back as he hurriedly removes himself from the man's path.

"Follow me, little brother."

Obediently, like a lonely puppy, he follows, stumbling clumsily after the girly man who walks with far too much grace. Inuyasha can't help but stare, this man is too much for his five year old mind to process.

"Whe' we going?" He asks after a minute of walking.

"You are hungry, are you not?" The man stares down at him expectantly.

Inuyasha nods, his tummy grumbling in agreement also as he pats it affectionately. "We haves not eaten all day." He says.

Inuyasha doesn't notice when the man stops a few minutes later, and runs into the back of his legs. "What'd you do dat fowr?" Inuyasha whimpers, clutching his reddening nose, his ears plastered to his white head.

He doesn't receive a response.

Then as suddenly as the man had appeared, he dashes forward. Inuyasha almost misses which way he'd darted, and madly rushes after him. He's surprised to find a small hare grasped in the man's… Claws? Inuyasha stares openly. They are like his smaller ones, he hasn't met anyone with fingernails like his. He winces when the man tears at the skin at the back of the hare's neck, skinning it with ease.

"W-What awre you doing?" Inuyasha asks as he stares, horrified.

The man turns his molten gaze on the small child, "I am a full-blooded demon, you are half, we need raw meat." At Inuyasha's blank gaze he turns back to the rabbit.

Inuyasha looks confused and takes a whiff of the air. He is surprised at how sweet smelling the hare's blood smells. He nods, as the man tears off a small piece and places it delicately in his mouth, chewing slowly. He offers the hare to Inuyasha as he swallows.

Inuyasha stares for a moment, before hesitantly taking the bloodied animal from the man's grasp. He winces as it flops lifelessly in his tiny hands. It takes him a moment to glance up at the man, noticing the expectant look in his eyes. Slowly, Inuyasha attempts to pull a string of meat from the hare's bones, attempting to mimic the other man.

He has little success.

"You are not yet strong enough yet to do that, hanyou." The man states, "Bite it."

Inuyasha does so hesitantly, but is quickly digging his fangs into the hare again and again as he realises the blood tastes sweet on his tongue and the meat is tender and he is starving; too much to care about the fact that he is eating a cute defenceless rabbit.

As he finishes, he stares up at the man now sitting beside him, "Hey," He murmurs between each lick of his fingers, the almost completely cleaned bones by his outstretched feet, "You said youwr Inuyasha's big bwodewr right?" The man nods. Inuyasha grins, "What's youwr name?"

The man regards him with a cool look, "I am Sesshomaru, Lord of the western lands. You and I share the same father."

"Sessho – Sessoma – 'Essho?" The small boy blinks up at the man cutely, his ears down again.

"Sesshomaru."

"Oh." Inuyasha stares at his now dirty feet, and his blood covered clothes, "Were you visiting Inuyasha?" He asks with a smile.

Sesshomaru doesn't respond. Inuyasha looks confused, more so when pretty man stands and starts to move away, "Did I make 'Essho angwy?" He asks hurriedly, as he scrambles clumsily to his feet, "I'm sowwy!" Inuyasha rushes forward, securely fastening himself to his older brother's leg.

Inuyasha feels a hand rest lightly on his head and feels a claw trace one of his ears lightly, "I am busy."

Inuyasha lets go, his eyes big and teary as the man walks away. He attempts to hide a sniffle; he doesn't want to have his brother see him cry. He is surprised when his brother stops, and his voice reaches the little boy's ears, "My business sends me past a human village. You may join me."

The offer has Inuyasha grinning again, and he is soon walking beside his older brother. He notices with a giggle that four of his steps equal two of his brothers, and he attempts to make his steps wider. "Hey, 'Essho, 'ill you teach Inuyasha to catch 'abbits like you does?" He asks, as he hops and stumbles, giggling all the while.

It is one of many questions not answered during their walk.

* * *

**Woffy: **Inuyasha suffered through the same thing I did when I first saw a picture of Sesshomaru... -sweatdrops- 

Thanks for the reviews!

To _ew:_ You do realise that Inuyasha isn't even a week old in the first chapter, yes?

Next theme: _Rivalry  
_


	5. Rivalry

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **T

**Warnings: **OOCness, inucest (if you squint), swearing...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**5.** Rivalry

Inuyasha eyes his brother as he seats himself at the base of a thick tree. The little human girl that has been traveling with him, and subsequently with them, has taken a seat beside him, grinning as her head is buried in the fluffy pelt now resting about Sesshomaru's form. His toad is quickly by his side also, rambling about one thing or another, squawking over the child's behaviour.

Inuyasha can't stand the sight.

They have been traveling as one large group for a month now, and Inuyasha can't stand her. He hasn't since the first night they camped together, when she'd settled herself by Sesshomaru's side and fallen asleep. She'd _snuggled_ into him, damn it!

He watches with narrowed, burning gold eyes, his mouth set into a frown, one that looks far too much like Sesshomaru's. The little wrench, Rin, is laughing and smiling and he swears Sesshomaru's face isn't as expressionless as it usually is. She is brushing – braiding – his long, shining hair. Sesshomaru hasn't stopped her, in fact, Inuyasha is sure he'd turned just the slightest bit, almost as if supporting her actions…

How did this pathetic, little _human_ child manage to worm her way into Sesshomaru's stony, cold, nonexhistant heart? How come Inuyasha wasn't allowed inside of it? These are questions Inuyasha hasn't managed to find answers for, and he isn't nearly as stupid as some perceive him to be as to ask the ice Lord himself. He'd much sooner face Naraku without his Tessaiga, while hopping on one foot, than do that.

By the time Kagome is calling them all to gather around the campfire for dinner, less than half of Sesshomaru's hair has been braided into thin, loose plaits. Inuyasha has to hide a snarl at the affectionate way Sesshomaru gently ushers the girl to go and eat. Inuyasha scowls and stabs at the ramen in his cup, damn the bastard and his 'I don't eat human food'.

He comments roughly on his brother's answer, earning a 'sit' from Kagome over his crude language in front of the children. His eyes travel to Sesshomaru from where he lays plastered to the ground, and he dares him to laugh, to smirk, to do _something, _because they were related and – at least he acted as though Inuyasha existed when they were battling! But all the hanyou receives is a bored, emotionless stare that is broken when Rin lowers herself beside the Lord and she calls for his attention.

Later that night, Inuyasha finds that he needs to get away. He needs to have space, away from Kagome and her stupid 'sit' commands and Miroku's humiliating groping and Sango's mothering and Shippo and the Brat's games and – He needs out for a few hours.

He runs off, glaring heatedly at the sight of the Brat curled up beside the toad and Sesshomaru's leg, far too close to the cold Lord for Inuyasha's liking. He turns away with a huff, and races towards a nearby stream, hoping to find a thick branch to rest on when there.

Inuyasha doesn't find a branch, and instead settles himself onto the ground by a large rock formation. He hopes that the slow running stream will help calm him, like his mother's singing did long ago. His ears are still ringing from Kagome's last command.

He sits in silence, allowing the wind to flow freely around him. His ears flatten themselves against his head when it glides and tickles their fleshy insides. Inuyasha growls with frustration when the wind continues to tease them. His ears flick, trying to make the annoying tingling feeling dissipate, and they do so again, before they stand to attention, alert, when he hears the slightest of steps.

The hanyou is on his feet instantly, his ears rotating slowly from atop his head, trying to pinpoint the origin of the noise. He needn't concentrate for long; Sesshomaru soon reveals himself.

Inuyasha quickly looks him over and sniffs the air curiously, making sure it is Sesshomaru; Shippo has tried to trick him on more than one occasion, as well as to help him work out why his brother's reasons for being there are.

Sesshomaru is without his fur pelt as he gracefully walks towards the rock Inuyasha had been leaning against. He is without his armour and his feet are bare. Inuyasha stares at them; they are as pale and elegant as the rest of him.

"Little brother," Inuyasha's eyes rise to meet a gaze identical, and yet very different, to his own, "You should be asleep."

He snorts, earning a raised brow from Sesshomaru, "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be protecting your little brat? You better watch out, I heard there's a group of bandits wandering around stealing children." He says unkindly, his words spat out. Really, Inuyasha wouldn't mind if the kid was stolen…

Sesshomaru barely blinks, "Rin is safe."

"Keh!"

It is silent for a moment, the stream and rustling leaves the only noise surrounding the two brothers. Sesshomaru moves slowly, "Inuyasha," He calls again, softly. As if mimicking his actions a few minutes before, Inuyasha raises his eyes, "I wish to bathe, braid my hair."

Inuyasha blinks, his eyes wide, "What?" He asks incredulously.

"I will not repeat myself, little brother."

"Braid your own damn hair!"

Inuyasha turns back to the stream, his eyebrows drawn together, his temples pulsing as he glares at the innocent water, reflecting the bright half moon above them. How dare that arrogant bastard tell him to braid his hair? He isn't anyone's servant! He can kick Sesshomaru's ass any day! The least he can do is ask!

"That is impossible."

Inuyasha stares for a moment, his eyes narrowed suspiciously, before they grow wider. His realization causes Inuyasha to swear quietly; this is what he gets for cutting off his brother's left arm. He turns away again, a low growl thrumming lowly in his chest. After a moment, he has decided and he turns, ready to bad mouth his brother before he does anything else. The sight awaiting him makes Inuyasha's eyes widen: Sesshomaru is sitting on the ground, his back turned to him, his head turned slightly as he looks up at the hanyou. His hand is resting in his lap. The breeze that was tickling Inuyasha's ears is now playing with his brother's hair and kimono. Inuyasha doesn't think Sesshomaru should look so feminine for such an emotionless and deadly, demon Lord.

He shuts his mouth hurriedly, and huffs at the raised eyebrow he receives from Sesshomaru. Determinedly, he strides over to Sesshomaru. If it means so much to the bastard, he will do it.

Inuyasha stares in wonder as he crouches behind his taller brother, carefully examining the white, shining, silky strands his claws are combing through with ease. Sesshomaru has now turned completely in the direction Inuyasha is facing, seemingly calm with Inuyasha behind him. Inuyasha would have scowled as his brother's ease, if he were not so captured by the feeling of Sesshomaru's hair.

He spends a while doing this, simply allowing his claws to work out non-existing knots in the long, far too long strands. Inuyasha simply enjoys the feel of Sesshomaru's hair. Even his ears, covered in the softest of fur, do not compare to it. He remembers stupidly how he used to fall asleep petting his own ears; it was a small comfort of sorts, especially after his mother passed. But his concentration is turned back to Sesshomaru as he begins to imagine that the low rumbling reaching his ears is coming from his older brother, though he knows that is impossible.

Eventually, Inuyasha has to complete his task. As he divides the silken strands into equal groups, Inuyasha jealously examines his brother's ears, so smooth and elegant on each side of his head; he thinks life would have been easier if he'd owned ears such as Sesshomaru's; he would have had a chance to fit in if he did; it is a lot easier to hide the pointed tips of Sesshomaru's ears to the annoying, trouble makers on top of his own.

Slowly, Inuyasha gently tugs the three groups of long hair over one another, pulling them tight, falling into a rhythm almost instantly. It is startled only when Inuyasha's claws finds themselves entrapped in a few strands of his brother's silken mane. Inuyasha almost thinks the experience is over far too soon, as he ties his brother's hair with the small, blue ribbon Sesshomaru provides.

His brother stands, leaving Inuyasha with a whispering of thanks, slowly heading towards the still gurgling stream. The braid swings and bounces against the back of his brother's thighs, before Sesshomaru carefully wraps it around itself so it holds itself up, to hang around his shoulders. Inuyasha turns and runs back to the camp a moment later, his cheeks aflame at the sight of his brother's kimono sliding from his pale shoulders. He angrily swears at his brother's nerve.

He falls asleep with that image burned into his mind, only to wake with it there again.

Sesshomaru and his group are awake too, not too surprisingly, they seem to wake at dawn everyday.

Inuyasha glares at the girl that holds Sesshomaru's attention firmly as she presents a small plate of fish and berries to him. He's surprised when he notices his brother's hair is still tied up in the braid he'd created the night before, no longer around his shoulders, but around his thighs, still neat and perfect and hiding the tips of his pointed ears.

"Lord Sesshomaru, can Rin comb your hair?" Inuyasha hears the girl ask. He frowns despite himself, managing to stop himself from providing an answer he knows will cause him great pain. The little Brat is at it again, charming her way deeper into Sesshomaru's softening (but only towards her) heart...

"No, Rin. Not today."

The answer causes Inuyasha's gaze to focus on his brother, his golden eyes wider. Then he smirks, as he relaxes back against the tree behind him smugly; at least he's earned one victory over the Brat.

* * *

**Woffy:** I wish my brothers would braid my hair... -pouts-

Thank you for the reviews! Glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks Sesshomaru's girly... :)

Next theme: _Flowers _


	6. Flowers

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **T

**Warnings: **OOCness, swearing...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**6.** Flowers 

"Please, Inuyasha?" He glares down at the Brat looking up at him with her hazel eyes far too big, and her gaze far too innocent. She is a child, but he attempts to ignore that also.

"What? No, go away! Stupid brat," He roughly turns his back to her, dirtying his kimono as he drags his butt around in the dirt. Inuyasha pays it no attention, though he knows Kagome will get angry when she sees it.

Inuyasha wonders how his brother does it, and whether it's just him that Rin seems to love embarrassing with her questions; he'd never heard her ask Sesshomaru half the things she did him. Since when did _men_ wear _flowers_? Why was he the one to get asked to wear them? Was the kid trying to imply something?

She pouts, stubbornly running around him (stumbling as his toes catch her own) so she is facing him again. Rin is still clutching the yellow flowered chain she'd created that morning as the others chatted about their activities for the day. Inuyasha had watched her curiously all morning, his ears perked as she hummed quietly to herself. He growls lowly and turns again, his hand now gripping his Tessaiga's sheath in the effort of not losing his temper. He's now done a complete 360 and is going for another round. Even so, Rin doesn't relent; instead she continues to follow him around.

Inuyasha's sure they make an amusing sight.

"Please? Rin made it herself, and it should fit, and," She struggles to work out what Inuyasha's problem is. She can't seem to think of another reason for him to not take the gift she'd worked so hard on.

Inuyasha's heart tightens painfully. But he ignores it stubbornly, as Rin's eyes sadden and lower to the ground, a small disappointed frown on her face. She finally goes away, dragging her toes in the dirt with each of her tiny steps. It is the first time Inuyasha hasn't seen a smile upon her pretty face, and he instantly starts glaring when his chest starts to hurt and he feels the need to apologise. But he won't, because he's a man and men don't wear flowers.

Inuyasha wonders idly where she's heading considering only him and her had stayed behind to look after their group's camp; Kagome had said something about needing to buy more food. Sango and Miroku had offered to accompany her considering Inuyasha's ears would draw attention and they weren't going to ask Sesshomaru. They'd dragged Shippo with them in the efforts of keeping their camp intact until they decided to leave; Inuyasha had been ready to fling the fox across the small clearing they're camped in. Sesshomaru had remained behind also, but after an hour he'd left silently with Ah Un and the toad at his heels. He'd talked to Rin for a moment before then.

Inuyasha's fine with being left alone, just as he has been for the past one hundred years. He's managed to make himself believe it, and after a moment of getting used to the silence around him he manages to close his eyes and relax. His ears are still alert on top of his head, despite his limbs being strewn hazardously around him.

He is breathing evenly and he's emitting soft snores when Sesshomaru nears him half an hour later. It takes a moment for Inuyasha to realise he's there and he hurries to shake himself awake. His nose tingles with the scent of flowers.

"What do you want?" he asks rudely, as he stretches his arms back over his head and he arches his back wincing when the bones crack back into place. Inuyasha decides he'll find a more comfortable place to nap next time he wants to.

Sesshomaru blinks before lowering himself into a crouch in front of Inuyasha. "Hold out your arm." He intones without feeling.

Inuyasha scowls, "And if I don't want to?"

"You will."

It takes a few minutes, but with a small huff Inuyasha turns from the staring contest he is blatantly losing, and lifts his right arm dejectedly, his palm up and raised in front of Sesshomaru's chest. He's mumbling about his 'bastard brother' and his 'shitty' manners. He knows Sesshomaru can hear him.

Sesshomaru seems to be ignoring his commentary and raises his own hand. Inuyasha is surprised to feel something tickle his wrist when he does. His eyes are wide as he watches his brother carefully hold a small chain of flowers almost identical to the one he'd had Rin chasing him to wear earlier that day, except for a rubbery piece of material on the ends of the chain. Inuyasha's heart leaps when he sees a green, glowing drop of poison fall from one of Sesshomaru's elegant claws and melt a small bit of material that then glues the two sides of the chain together, having sizzled and melted.

Inuyasha feels sick for a moment, as the sickly scent of his brother's poison drifts to his nose, but is able to ignore it when Sesshomaru moves. He inspects his work carefully, gently tugging on the small chain before drawing away completely, one of his claws scrapping lightly against the palm of Inuyasha's hand.

Inuyasha is furious.

"Hey! I didn't want that on before, what makes you think I want to wear it now?" He asks Sesshomaru, shaking his fist as he does so. The flowers, surprisingly, don't fall from his wrist, so he moves to tear it off.

His left wrist is caught in Sesshomaru's tight grasp. Inuyasha glares, but is silenced before he can even utter another sound, "They will die in a few days, until then, do not attempt to remove them."

"Keh! If you haven't noticed I'm a man, and men don't wear flowers." He isn't impressed by his brother's unresponsiveness, and angrily snaps, "I don't see you wearing one!"

Sesshomaru is slow to stand. He is scowling down at Inuyasha now, "You are far more childish than I expected, little brother." He turns, so that his back is facing the hanyou and lifts his right hand. "It is a gift, keep it."

Inuyasha can only blink in wonder and disbelief as he spies a flower chain of flowers, just like his own, hanging from his brother's wrist. They seemed paler than his own flowers, perhaps because of the stunning contrast they have with Sesshomaru's crimson markings that are of a deeper crimson than his clothing. Inuyasha eyes them, idly wondering how many sets of markings Sesshomaru has. All he can do is stare and let his hands drop to the floor as his brother departs, disappearing to be on his own again.

Later that evening, Inuyasha hears Rin singing about friends with matching bracelets, a song that has him fuming silently. She has some nerve to be so happy and look so innocent after sicking his bastard brother onto him. He still doesn't want to wear the stupid thing. However, he doesn't understand the girl's intent when he realises it is only Sesshomaru and himself that have received a flower bracelet, and that even the Brat herself isn't wearing one.

A disconcerting feeling swells in his chest when he thinks that the girl's trying to tell them something.

* * *

**Woffy:** Rin is secretly evil and seeks to make all the many manly men in the world gay... Hm... The plan sounds _very_ familiar... -sweatdrop- 

Thanks to those who reviewed!

Next theme: _Destiny (I think; I might change this one and write about this later)  
_


	7. Destiny

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **K

**Warnings:** OOCness...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**7.** Destiny

Sesshomaru had always thought that it was his destiny to carry his father's swords: Sounga, Tessaiga and Tenseiga. It was to be his birthright, as his father's son. He remembers thinking that even if he were to have brothers or sisters that as the oldest, it only seemed fair in his eyes that he should receive them, or at least choose the one he desired the most.

Compared to his existence as the Lord of the Western Lands, his half brother was nothing. That was his destiny; to be an outcast, to be weak… His existence was supposed to be a pitiful one. He is after all a half-demon.

But fate, as Sesshomaru has learnt, is cruel. And the sword Sesshomaru had stared at for so long, dreamt of holding and using while he was still a mere, scrawny pup is not his own. He cannot even touch Tessaiga. And Inuyasha's life is full of people who by all counts shouldn't pay attention to him, even if they are pitiful humans and a fox demon child.

Sesshomaru and his faithful companions have been travelling, wandering his lands with little care. They'd started their wandering an hour after dawn, it is now noon and Rin is in need of a rest. In the attempt of allowing his ears some peace, Sesshomaru has sent Jaken to find the girl a meal. The toad hasn't stopped complaining about the girl's scent, her appearance and her naivety.

His hard gaze falls upon the Tenseiga resting by his right side. He studies it, carefully examining its ebony sheath and taking in its plain black and silver, plaited handle, decorated with a simple gold plate at its base. It has three rings nearest the sword's hilt. Sesshomaru knows the blade glistens and reflects the sun's light when unsheathed.

The Tesseiga looks old, ragged, as though it couldn't cut through grass, let alone demolish one hundred enemies with one swing. But in its true form, it owned a black handle with a tuft of his father's fur covering the hilt. The blade was large, much larger than the Tenseiga's in width, but their length was about the same. When Inuyasha first held the Tesseiga, it was dull, blunt and completely useless. Sesshomaru knows he would have never allowed it to get to that state.

The demon Lord allowed his mind to wander, as his eyes closed for a brief moment, gathering and sorting his memories.

His father had never been one for elaborate decorations, Sesshomaru had been taught that early in his life. He had always preferred a sword that was beautifully simple, striking an enemy with awe with how the blade glistened when it caught the light, or how it sounded when tapped in just the right place. Sesshomaru remembers with amusement how he'd fume whenever he'd heard the other Lords making remarks about his father's sanity, knowing full well he could hear.

Sesshomaru remembers doubting his father's sanity also, after a few decades, when the older demon had sat him own to tell him the story of the three swords. Even then, now that he looks back, his father had hinted at him receiving one of the swords, not all three. It seems his father had played a part in creating Sesshomaru's destiny, or he has simply halted its progress until he finishes Inuyasha off.

Inuyasha doesn't deserve the Tessaiga. He has been unable to care for the blade hidden at his father's grave. It had taken the insane fool Totosai's care to restore it to its awe inspiring state. The sword now glowed red too and it only served to make Sesshomaru want it more.

Sesshomaru doesn't understand why his father left him this useless sword. Why would he need to bring back mortals, those like the pathetic human Izayoi, back to life? Did they truly deserve it? They are the basis for his Lands' economy, but even that in Sesshomaru's eyes doesn't make them worthy of his mercy, of his pity.

Rin giggles, as she attempts to catch a fluttering butterfly and runs around in circles, chasing it. Sesshomaru lets her do as she wishes, no longer attempting to decipher her reasons behind her strange behaviour; he has found that it leads to more questions, and those to many more still.

Rin is the only being Sesshomaru has ever used Tenseiga to bring back. He had at first considered it as a payment of his debt to her. He will never say it aloud, but the water she'd given him as he lay beaten after his battle with Inuyasha had helped; even demons cannot survive long without water. It had kept his energy up enough to keep his natural healing to that quicker than any human or lesser demon.

He shifts and allows a few long strands of silky hair tumble over his left shoulder. He toys with them gently, twirling them and uncurling them around his claws. It is a habit he's kept since his youth.

Slowly, his thoughts begin again, like a movie played out on a screen set up inside his mind. Rin is the subject again, as he attempts to keep Inuyasha filtered from his mind.

As her giggling dies to a broad smile and a happy blush, Sesshomaru makes up his mind: It was not her fate to die and stay dead that day; Rin would have never met Sesshomaru had that been the case. She would have been fearful if she had. He was supposed to notice her, unlike so many other humans he'd had the misfortune in meeting.

It was her destiny to be the first person Sesshomaru saved from death's demons, though the demon Lord can't grasp why. She is a mystery to him most days.

If his father could see him, using the useless sword as little as he did, would it have still been given to him? Sesshomaru wants an answer, but there are few who can provide any sort of answer, and fewer still who will actually tell him their stories. Inuyasha would find it far more useful than he ever could. Sesshomaru's golden eyes narrow as an annoying thought creeps up on hi: perhaps the half-breed would use it too much.

He is pulled from his brooding by a small, curious voice, the one of the little girl he'd saved, "Lord Sesshomaru, do you really want Inuyasha's sword?"

Sesshomaru graces her with a nod, directing his eyes to the Tenseiga for a second, before lifting them to her face again, "He abuses the Tesseiga. He uses it as though it is a club, not at all like the sword that was created by our father. He is a disgrace, and as such he is defiling the Tesseiga."

The little girl's eye brows knit together in thought as she pouts and fingers her bottom lip, poking and petting the Tenseiga with her other hand. "But Rin thinks that Lord Sesshomaru's sword is better." She says fondly, before grinning up at him, "Rin likes my Lord's sword because it brings happiness."

"Happiness..." Sesshomaru parrots quietly. He mulls the idea over in his head, letting it roll around, but he can't put the two together. A sword can't bring happiness; it is a weapon for killing. His eyebrows tilt inwards, towards his nose just slightly; but the Tenseiga cannot kill, does that ability alone, make it capable of bringing happiness?

From beside him, Rin nods, unaware of his thoughts, "Rin doesn't like seeing people die. Rin's parents and big brother were killed by bandits. Rin doesn't want to see anymore people die." She pokes the sword one last time before she stands up.

"Lord Sesshomaru, there are flower fields over that hill," She points to her left, "Can Rin gather some?"

He nods, and feels a (now) familiar flutter in his chest at the girl's pleased grin. She bows politely before stumbling off, through the grass.

Destiny it seems has a strange way of unravelling itself, Sesshomaru decides. Fate has brought Rin to him, and fate has seen that he has gained his father's most useless sword.

It is a stick, and because of that it has brought Rin happiness. Slowly, his brain comes to yet another realization; the Tesseiga has made Inuyasha happy; he is able to protect the pathetic humans he travels with, his friends. Sesshomaru believes that without it, Inuyasha would not be able to do so affectively.

Perhaps this is what his father's swords' destinies are: to bring happiness.

* * *

**Woffy:** I really don't know where I got this idea, but it's been with me for a long time... I'm glad to get rid of it, it had me nearly fail my exams at the end of last year... 

Next theme: _Father_


	8. Father

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi...

**Rating: **K+

**Warnings: **OOCness, swearing...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**8.** Father

They are eating dinner and the night is peaceful except for the quiet banter between Inuyasha and Shippo. Even Sesshomaru is eating, and everyone except for Ah Un, Rin and the Lord himself is watching him with surprise as he picks up a lunch box full of food Kagome had prepared earlier. Rin seems to have finally worn him down.

Inuyasha watches as his brother eats with the polite and proper manners he is sure he is supposed to possess, but doesn't. His mouth full of ramen doesn't stop the half demon from muttering grumpily; even with one arm and his meal balance cautiously on one knee, Sesshomaru manages to look dignified. He scowls darkly at Sesshomaru's ability to do so, and mutters quietly to himself.

"Lord Sesshomaru, what was Lord Sesshomaru's and Inuyasha's father like?" It seems that even the wildlife around them goes silent and the question reverberates almost painfully around Inuyasha's fluffy ears. He doesn't want to hear about his father! He snorts, he's positive Sesshomaru will not answer: he will avoid the question.

Sesshomaru's face is now tilted down towards his ward, and there is an unexpected softness to his features. But before he utters a word Rin is speaking again, "Was he like Inuyasha? Did he protect humans?"

"No." Sesshomaru intones quietly, "Only one."

Rin nods cutely in understanding, but Inuyasha's too caught up in his brother's words to think about the Brat. This is the first time he's heard Sesshomaru speak of his father without insulting him in the same instant. He is practically suffocating himself as he listens intently, his mouth still stuffed full with ramen.

"Oh." She smiles, "So he was like Lord Sesshomaru?" The demon Lord doesn't reply, or move. "Did he look more like Lord Sesshomaru or Inuyasha?" Rin asks after she swallows, her eyes narrowed in thought.

It takes Sesshomaru a mere second to answer, "Inuyasha." The answer has every occupant of their party's ears perked. Sesshomaru's voice is quiet, and he speaks slowly as if recalling his father as he describes him, painting him in his mind as he does so in everyone else's, "Father had markings identical to the ones Inuyasha does when he releases his demon blood. He did not possess skin as pale as this Sesshomaru's." Inuyasha's heart stops for a moment when he realises his brother is smiling; a simple up turning of the corners of his lips. He isn't sure if the others have noticed. Perhaps he is remembering a fond memory, Inuyasha wonders as he slurps up a particularly long noodle distractedly, "Inuyasha hasn't matured completely, in mind or in body, but he will grow to look as father did. As for his mind, Inuyasha possesses Father's temper, but refuses to control it as he did and he lacks patience, just as Father did."

It takes Inuyasha a moment to respond as he allows all the information Sesshomaru has shared to sink into his brain. His ears twitch irritably after a moment, "Hey! You don't have to talk like I'm not here, you know? I can hear you!" He's shushed by a firmly said 'sit', which has him mumbling again, as he protectively checks his ramen cup once he's able to sit up.

When he's convinced it isn't damaged in anyway, he dejectedly sits back against the tree behind him and asks, "So what did you inherit from the old man then?"

"His lands and hair colour." Sesshomaru eyes Inuyasha with deceivingly cold eyes, "Your hair would be like Father's as well, if you washed it." The comment gains chuckles and barely hidden giggles from Miroku and the girls, Shippo's grinning to himself from beside Inuyasha.

"Keh!" As he swallows he glares at Sesshomaru, ignoring Sango's warning look, Miroku's sudden expression of innocence and Shippo's sudden interest with the ground. He also ignores Kagome's fuming at his bad manners, "So why are you sharing all this information now, you ass?"

The demon Lord silently urges Rin to eat her vegetables with his eyes before he turns back to Inuyasha and monotonously states, "You don't know anything about Father, when you should. You are his biggest mistake, little brother. But Father would not approve of having you not know about him."

Inuyasha doesn't look at all convinced, but he lets the subject drop and chugs the remaining warm water and flavouring from his cup. Kagome is now questioning Sesshomaru, and it surprises the half-breed to hear his brother's nastier tone when talking to her. He seems irritated with her.

Inuyasha watches with amusement as Sesshomaru cuts off one of Kagome's numerous questions as he stands up and begins to walk away. He's surprised to hear him utter a simple thanks to Kagome, which causes her to flush and comment about their manners. He begins to mumble again, about his brother's so-called 'manners' and how he would have gained them; he's a noble and most of the nobles Inuyasha has met are snobs. They hadn't thanked anyone for anything.

This time he is heard and answered by Myoga, "The Master was never fond of bad manners." The flea comments before he is squished beneath Inuyasha's right hand.

* * *

**Woffy:** Meh, I don't like this one, but my brother does, so I was forced to post it... -shakes fist- Damn him and his big, innocent eyes! I still think I could have done better! 

Gah! I forgot to thank you all for reviewing in the last chapter! Thank you! Really, all reviews are appreciated... They inspire me to write, even when I shouldn't be! -stares at her growing pile of homework and sighs- My mum's going to kill me...

Next theme: _Kiss_


	9. Kiss

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **T

**Warnings: **Incest, shota (I think that's what it's called, if not correct me), yaoi, OOCness...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**9.** Kiss

Inuyasha watches as his brother stares at the rippling water of the small lake in front of them. He'd found Sesshomaru sitting, just like he is now, seemingly thinking deeply. His face is relaxed, his lips showing no signs of a smile or a frown, just as his eyes are bright, yet cold. He seems to be confused about something.

They're sitting beneath a sakura tree, with Sesshomaru sitting up straight as Inuyasha leant against the boulder behind them. Inuyasha, previous to finding his brother in deep thought, had been chattering to Sesshomaru about how pretty the pink sakura blossoms would have looked if they were some other colour. It seems Inuyasha has bored him.

Inuyasha couldn't help but stare and want to touch when he'd first caught a glimpse of his brother's pale face, relaxed from its usual emotionless mask of frozen aloofness. He had touched his chin earlier that day and received a glare in return, but his curiosity had been doused. He now knows that his brother's skin really is as soft as it looks.

He shifts, so he is kneeling beside Sesshomaru, still staring at his face intently, examining his markings and taking special care he doesn't sit on the star shine hair he's come to find mesmerising and enjoys playing with. The demon Lord doesn't react at all.

Inuyasha has yet to convince his mother that Sesshomaru isn't going to kill him or her on sight. His mother doesn't want him in her house; he is a cold, _heartless_ demon, and though she knows he is Inuyasha's half brother, she doesn't want him to harm her little boy.

Inuyasha had pouted stubbornly, looking like a spoilt, noble brat, when he'd heard her say that. Even so, Inuyasha still visits his brother whenever he smells his scent is within running distance; his brother (though cold, just as his mother claims) hasn't attempted to injure him yet. And he is nearly thirteen in human years, even though his being looks barely ten; he is practically a man! And he wants to see Sesshomaru and talk without the fear of his mother finding out. He wants to talk like the other kids and their brothers do.

But that isn't the only reason Inuyasha had sought out his brother today. There are a few things Inuyasha cannot ask his mother about, and fewer things still that he knows she wouldn't dare mention to him. Inuyasha needs to ask Sesshomaru about kisses, how to kiss and who to kiss and what to do if someone wanted to kiss him. He already knows of the stuff that comes after love and kisses: sex. The other boys in the village already know about it, and their conversations have sparked Inuyasha's curiosity to find out to its peak. He wants to learn how to kiss.

Inuyasha sighs then takes a deep breath, all the while attempting to be silent and regain control of his body and the first signs of a blush, and gathers his courage before whispering, "Sesshomaru, are you alright?"

He doesn't receive a response right away, and contemplates shaking his brother. But he doesn't have to, and jumps when he notices glowing amber eyes staring down at him; he'd been staring so intently at Sesshomaru's moon marking, he hadn't noticed they'd been focussed on him, "It is incredibly difficult to hinder this Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, in health or otherwise."

Inuyasha flushes pink, and stubbornly attempts to glare his brother down. Sesshomaru takes it with an emotionless stare, one that Inuyasha can't keep eye contact with. He huffs, and folds his arms, and instead turns to glare at the still screaming waterfall.

"What is it you want to talk about?" At first Inuyasha simply fumes, pouting like a child. He feels Sesshomaru shift and turns around, "If you are not going to answer, I will take my leave."

Inuyasha jumps into action, and his mouth begins to move and his hands are resting on his brother's left thigh lightly. He becomes slightly dazed by its warmth, "I heard some of the other boys talking," He begins, "They were talking about _kissing._" He whispers the word, as though it is one of the profanities his mother says he shouldn't use, but he does anyway.

Sesshomaru doesn't look any more or less interested than he did when Inuyasha woke him from his thoughts and this worries Inuyasha. He thinks he should be used to his brother's emotionless stares, but they always make him shiver, they always make him worry that he may be boring his brother. Again.

He lowers himself from his knees, so that his rump is on the ground, with his side pressed into Sesshomaru's thigh and one of his arms is draped across that same limb. Sesshomaru's arm is draped over his lap also, and he can feel his brother's claws graze his back whenever he moves them. Inuyasha squirms as he finds a comfortable position and his knee grazes Sesshomaru's side. Inuyasha is sure he feels Sesshomaru shiver beside him.

"What is it you would like to know?"

Inuyasha blinks up at him, his eyes still too big for his face, "How do you kiss a girl?" One of Sesshomaru's elegant, black eyebrows rises and it makes Inuyasha stutter and his cheeks colour instantly, "I- I mean, you're very pretty! You must have kissed lots of girls! So I thought you'd know-!" A blush makes his cheeks glow and he wisely decides to shut his mouth, before he embarrasses himself further.

He's surprised by Sesshomaru's shifting, his armour glistens in the sun. His 'fluffy' is still curled around both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's.

"I thank you for the compliment, little brother," Inuyasha's heart pounds proudly for having been acknowledged, though he is somewhat confused; Sesshomaru didn't seem to like being called pretty before today, "But I have not kissed a woman."

Inuyasha's eyes blink up at him again, his ears are perked and his mouth left agape, "But – But you have to! I can't learn by myself!"

Sesshomaru blinks down at him mutely, before Inuyasha notices that his lips are quirked up in their corners just slightly, "I have not kissed a woman, but I have kissed before."

Inuyasha's brows furrow and his amber eyes leave Sesshomaru's lips as his own are twisted into a frown, "But you said you haven't kissed any girls," He muses out loud, "Who did you kiss, if you haven't kissed any girls?"

"It is common for male demons to be together, just as it is for female demons."

Inuyasha looks confused with his bottom lip stuck out and his eyebrows are stuck together in the centre of his head as he tries to decipher Sesshomaru's words.

"Male demons will kiss each other, just as female demons will."

Inuyasha nods, wondering why his brother didn't just say that and looks up at Sesshomaru with large, golden eyes that are soon narrowed again, "But you are both men. Mother said that a man being with another man will never work out, that it will only bring them misery and cause them to be sent to hell."

As he counts off the many other reasons on his fingers, Sesshomaru continues to stare down on him. He cuts Inuyasha's prattle in half as he quietly intones, "Those are the views of humans. This Sesshomaru is a full blooded demon; our values are somewhat the opposite in most aspects of our lives." Inuyasha nods in understanding and Sesshomaru continues, "Humans grow and die quickly. Their lives are short. Demons or those with demon blood are able to live much longer than them. Humans need to reproduce quickly, in order to keep their kind alive; they are fragile creatures easily sickened and easy to kill. Two men are not able to reproduce. We as demons will not feel the need to take a mate until we are several generations older than the humans living around us. A male, may take another as a partner until he sees it fit to seed a child."

Inuyasha nods again as Sesshomaru's explanation turns to silence, "But why not just have a partner who's a girl? Why choose a man?"

"Has your mother explained what sex is, Inuyasha?" He nods again, blushing all the while, "Then you know that they may become pregnant?"

He receives another nod. It takes Inuyasha a moment to realise that Sesshomaru isn't going to continue, "Is that it?"

Sesshomaru blesses him with a blank stare, but he continues. He speaks slowly, "Females tend to be far gentler with their actions during intercourse. They are looking for independance and comfort within arms much like their own. Male demons however, will seek power. Their partner may be much stronger than them, or they may want power over another. The mutual interest between males makes them a suitable partner."

"But how could two men be together? They don't have a cave inside them. How would it work?" This time Inuyasha is greeted with silence, "Sesshomaru?" He sees his brother blink, and realises he is being ignored. He huffs angrily, "Come on, Sesshomaru! Tell me!"

He continues this for five minutes, just poking and pushing and not getting a single reaction. Inuyasha lets out a whine of frustration. He pouts, "You still haven't taught me how to kiss." He mumbles dejectedly.

He feels Sesshomaru move and looks up to see him staring down again, "It is simple." He states and moves a claw to Inuyasha's chin, tilting his head up.

Inuyasha feels pink warm his cheeks as his brother's thumb runs over his bottom lip.

"Lick your lips, Inuyasha. You do not want your partner to be uncomfortable." Inuyasha does so quickly, his ears standing to attention on top of his head as he listens intently, "Now soften them."

Inuyasha's brow crinkles in confusion, "Pucker them." Sesshomaru tries again.

The young half-demon does. He looks as though he is sucking on a lemon. Inuyasha relaxes his lips when he sees Sesshomaru's disapproving look, "Not like that. Do so, a little bit."

Inuyasha catches a glimpse of Sesshomaru's pink tongue as it darts across his brother's lips, making them shine in the light. He tries again, seemingly satisfying Sesshomaru this time.

"Tilt your head to the right Inuyasha, so you won't hurt yours or your partner's nose."

He watches with fascination as his brother's lips part slightly, and relax completely, making him look as if he's about to pout. But he does so, carefully comparing the angle to his brother's also barely tilted head.

"Like this?"

Sesshomaru nods, "Yes. Like that." The demon Lord hunches, "Now close your eyes." Inuyasha does, his heart hammering within his still skinny chest.

There are a few moments of complete silence, as Inuyasha feels his brother's eyes roaming his face. He opens his eyes slightly, peeking from beneath his lashes, "Am I doing it r-"

Inuyasha's eyes widen as he spies and feels his brother's lips press against his own. And for a moment he is unable to feel, do, hear anything. His brother's finger and thumb are still holding his chin, warming the skin there as much as Sesshomaru's lips are heating up his being. He notices with surprise that his brother's eyes are closed and hurries to close his too; he doesn't want to do this wrong.

It only serves to heighten his other senses, and he swears he can hear his both their hearts beating, his is faster. Inuyasha realises that licking their lips helped as he feels the soft smoothness that are Sesshomaru's. He is disappointed when his brother backs away, leaving Inuyasha panting for air.

"Breathe through your nose."

Again Inuyasha's lips are pressed to Sesshomaru's and he takes his advice and takes a nervous breath through his nose. He feels Sesshomaru do so too, and relaxes slightly. Then he feels the brush of deadly claws on his cheek, before that hand cups it and warms the skin much faster and to a much higher heat than Inuyasha thinks it should be.

But he mimics his brother's actions, hoping he's doing all this right. Surprisingly, his brother gasps and shivers as Inuyasha slides his fingers down slightly warmer, crimson stripes, causing Inuyasha to move his fingers again.

But his brother is gone and Inuyasha is left kissing air and caressing wind. The only evidence that his brother was there at all the slightly sweet smelling aroma he'd smelt lingering around Sesshomaru.

His ears droop in disappointment; it seems he can't kiss well.

* * *

**Woffy:** ... Erm... I'd say this is about as yaoi-ish as this series is going to be... But I'm not going to change the warnings; it wastes letters to type in shonen ai, yaoi's shorter... 

Anyway... Thanks to those who reviewed, each one is appreciated!

Next Theme: _Comfort_


	10. Comfort

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **T

**Warnings: **OOCness, mentions violence, bullying...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**10.** Comfort

Sesshomaru doesn't think it a comfort to find his younger brother being bullied by human children less than half his age; even if the half-breed is the cause of his father's undignified death. The small half-demon is now over twenty years old and he still looks no older than a ten year old child. The demon Lord has expected this; Inuyasha's demon blood wouldn't allow him to age as speedily as humans' do.

His eyes narrow, Sesshomaru had expected Inuyasha's mother to have begun the young boy's training as soon as he turned twelve, yet he can barely throw a punch. He cannot protect himself in the slightest. Again, her actions only prove his views of humans as weak and emotional. Inuyasha may look like a child, but in human years he is an adult. He should have been trained, not mollycoddled.

Sesshomaru frowns from his place behind a tree on the outskirts of the forest. His hair plays on the calming breeze blowing about him. It billows behind him as though it were a silvery cape as he moves towards the children pushing his little brother to the ground, teasing him and laughing. Do they not realise what the half breed is capable of? Sesshomaru hopes to show them.

They're laughter makes his ears burn and a boiling anger bubble in his chest as he approaches them. He is somewhat pleased at the horrified look he receives from one of the smaller boys, the first one of them to realise he is striding towards them. His mouth is left agape and he babbles and hits his friends in order to get their attention, quickly pointing at Sesshomaru.

The demon Lord comes to a halt a mere metre away from the group and he stares silently down on them. He looks menacing and the cold, aloof aura surrounding him keeps the kids scared and unmoving. They are all staring back with wide eyes. It pleases him to see them so afraid, but there is a feeling of disgust in the bottom of his stomach; they are brave enough to hit a child smaller than them, but not a nearly adult demon? Sesshomaru's eyes narrow, making them jump. Their whispering is getting on his nerves.

"T-That's a demon, right?"

"What's it doing here?"

He can hear them as well as he can see that it is day. He does not like being called an 'it', more so than being mistaken for a female of any sort. Sesshomaru tunes them out before calling for Inuyasha's attention. The young half-breed still hasn't noticed his presence. That is unusual. It only alerts Sesshomaru to the situation once more.

"Stand up, Inuyasha. You are well." He watches with bored eyes as Inuyasha's head launches up from under his skinny arms and small fists. His ears are standing to attention as he looks around, his wide eyes staring up at Sesshomaru with gratitude and wonder, while his dirtied face breaks into a large grin.

"Sesshomaru!" He jumps to his dirty, small feet, his bruises forgotten as he rushes to his brother's side, "You don't usually come to the village; is there something wrong?"

The demon Lord ignores him, "Do these humans treat you as they were regularly, little brother." He emphasises his last words with an almost caring pat to Inuyasha's white head, careful of his claws and the boy's ears.

The boys look horrified and he hears one whisper, "T-The freak's his b-brother?"

Sesshomaru expects they will not touch Inuyasha again.

Inuyasha spares the humans a glance and takes in their shaking forms, "Not all the time Sesshomaru. Sometimes they let me play with them."

"The games you play are humiliating, Inuyasha; they do not treat you with respect." He allows his long claws to comb through Inuyasha's shoulder length hair once, before it drops to his side, "This Sesshomaru will spare their lives," He says to Inuyasha. The boys look relieved. "Next time they will die." Inuyasha nods and watches sadly as the boys run off, obviously not risking the chance that Sesshomaru may change his mind.

It is silent around them for a moment, before Sesshomaru pivots and starts heading towards the forest again. Inuyasha follows and mumbles, "Where are we going?"

"You are in need of training. This world is not safe for a half-demon."

"You're going to teach me how to fight?"

Sesshomaru continues walking, stopping only when he reaches the centre of a small clearing amongst the trees, it has taken them a better part of an hour.

Inuyasha stops much further behind Sesshomaru. He hides in the foliage, staring around with his ears perked and his eyes wide and shining with curiosity; he hasn't ever been in this place before. He sniffs, only moving to join his brother in the middle of the clearing once he bids it safe.

He stands beside his brother and notices with a frown that he barely reaches the middle of Sesshomaru's thighs in height. Sesshomaru doesn't acknowledge the look of loathing, he knows not what it is directed at, and removes his pelt, placing it gingerly by a tree.

"Have you been taught anything about combat?" He receives a shake of Inuyasha's head, "Then we will start at the beginning."

Sesshomaru moves so that he is standing with his feet shoulder width apart, with one foot forward. He crouches slightly and sets his left hand in front of his chest with his elbow bent, "Copy my stance." He says as he brings his right hand to sit just in front of his chest, his fingers pointed to his left.

Inuyasha does and after a few more commands he has his stance corrected. They are standing side by side.

"Now Inuyasha, I will teach you how to punch."

Inuyasha's eyes are turned up towards him. Seeing this Sesshomaru slowly moves his right arm from against his chest and to his side, swiftly jabbing it straight forward, with his fingers slightly bent, yet away from his palm. He does it again, much slower this time. Inuyasha attempts to mimic him.

"You're elbow must remain by your side."

Inuyasha nods and does it again, slower, clumsier than his first attempt. Sesshomaru knows Inuyasha needs a lot of practice.

"Now your other arm. Simply switch each of your arms' positions."

This continues on for a while, Sesshomaru notices his brother is sweating and his arms sag before they straighten and sag again. His brother is growing tired.

Sesshomaru speaks slowly, "You may rest."

Inuyasha stubbornly shakes his head. Sesshomaru watches for a few more minutes before he intones again, "A warrior should not push themselves so hard that they are unable to protect themselves, Inuyasha. Rest and you may continue shortly."

With a pout and a sigh Inuyasha moves so he can sit beside his brother, who has his pelt curled around him. Sesshomaru notices with a small twinge of pride that the boy is trying to hide just how tired he is. He doesn't want to look weak around his brother, around anyone.

Inuyasha forces himself to sit up, with his shoulders and back straight. He wipes at his brow and grins up at Sesshomaru, "Are you going to teach me anything else today, Sesshomaru?"

The demon doesn't answer immediately, and as his lips part he stops his comment and raises another issue, "Inuyasha do not do that."

The half breed stares up at him with innocent eyes, one of his long nails caught between his teeth. He'd been working hard to bite it off.

"Your claws are also weapons. You do not want them to be disabled; they are your last line of defense." Inuyasha's hand falls to his lap heavily, "When you are older you may find that you can perform more advanced attacks through your claws." He raises his right hand.

He flicks his wrist and he sees Inuyasha's eyes widen and his mouth drop open as a long glowing yellow-green whip bursts from his index and middle fingers. He successfully cuts one of the smaller trees surrounding the clearing in half, sending it crashing to the ground as his whip is sucked into his fingers again. He can't help but tip his head back a bit, raising his nose into the air at the look of pure amazement on his brother's face.

"You may not be able to create an attack akin to that, but you may be able create something similar, in the future."

The half breed's mouth closes before it is working fast, "So I'll be able to do neat stuff like that when I get stronger?" He's on his feet, staring into Sesshomaru's eyes, looking excited and energised. The demon Lord nods, "Then I'm going to practice! I'm going to practice until I become just as strong as you! Perhaps even stronger!"

His young body is quickly placed in the middle of the clearing and he is punching the air again, just as his brother showed him. Sesshomaru's scoff is kept to himself as his thoughts remain on Inuyasha's last words. The half breed will never surpass him.

A few weeks later Sesshomaru is ready to begin Inuyasha's training in order to build up his strength and speed. Inuyasha rushes to greet him, tripping over his feet as he yells, "Sesshomaru! Guess what!" Before he practically skips around his brother's legs explaining how he'd managed to beat the boys who regularly picked on him - and hadn't met Sesshomaru - off him before they were able to do much damage.

Sesshomaru watches with slightly raised brows as again he finds fiery anger swelling inside his chest. It is a comfort, he decides, to have his brother by his side, where he can watch over him.

* * *

**Woffy**: I have a soft spoke for protective Sesshomaru... It's almost as big as my love for uke!Sesshomaru... 

Thank you to the people who reviewed!

_Halwen_: I'd answer with a Review Reply but for some reason the page won't load... I find that it's a pleasant surprise when people review earlier chapters as well as the latest one, so there's no need to apologise. And... I'm sorry about your fingers and the fact that I do believe that _Kiss_ is about as yaoi-ish as these are going to get. Unless I become inspired... Yep... _REALLY_ inspired. Thank you! -thumbs up-

Next theme: _Darkness _


	11. Darkness

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **K

**Warnings: **OOCness, slight yaoi, slight incest...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**11.** Darkness 

The night is dark as Sesshomaru raises his golden eyes to the moonless sky. Sesshomaru doesn't know whether to be disgusted at the prospect of his brother turning completely human, or to be curious. It will be the first time he is present for the whole of Inuyasha's transformation. It is also the first time he's been present with Inuyasha knowing he is just that.

It has been an hour since the sun had set. Inuyasha had wandered into the forest once the sun had begun its descent into the forest, and his friends are beginning to worry. They are currently arguing over who will be going in search of him.

Sesshomaru isn't worried. He doubts his brother is stupid enough to anger any demons tonight. Or that if he is he is at least smart enough to run or be thrown in their direction; Inuyasha will not be able to defeat any demons in his humans state.

He ignores their senseless prattle and stands up, following his nose as he enters the forest. He barely hears Rin's words as she attempts to settle his brother's friends, "It's alright. Lord Sesshomaru will go and find Inuyasha. That way Kagome, Miroku and Sango can stay here and protect Rin and Shippo."

Sesshomaru doesn't blink, but wonders how his child can remain so pure around his bloodied soul. He has mulled over this often, but has yet to create an answer he sees as fitting. He allows that question to disappear into the dark recesses of his mind, as he focuses on Inuyasha's scent and he keeps his ears perked in case he may hear the half breed's breathing or heart.

It takes Sesshomaru mere moments to track the half-breed down. Sesshomaru almost doesn't recognise him: surprisingly, Inuyasha is sitting in the grass with a look of defeat on his face, a face that bears dark brown eyes and is hidden by a black fringe. He lacks the demon aura he is usually surrounded in and his dog ears.

Inuyasha turns to glare at him, "Can't I get any peace? Listen you bastard, what ever sick pleasure you get from seeing me this way, I don't want to know about it!"

Sesshomaru's eyebrows rise minutely, as he strides closer to his little brother. Inuyasha is now completely human and is truly defenceless against him. He could rid his land of the disgrace his father protected with a simple twist of his wrist, or a quick slash of his Tokijin; Inuaysha has no hope of stopping him should he act.

Inuaysha's dark, narrowed eyes soon widen as Sesshomaru kneels down in front of his brother and tilts his head to his left. Inuyasha blinks at his brother's odd behaviour. Sesshomaru ignores the expression, like so many before it, and continues his inspection.

"I prefer your ears when they are on top your head, Inuyasha." He states slowly.

He watches curiously as Inuyasha's expressions are displayed clearly on his face: confusion, anger, embarrassment. Sesshomaru feels that Inuyasha doesn't know what he should be feeling.

Inuyasha finally growls and frowns, "Yeah, well… It's not my fault I turn human once a month." He huffs before glaring at a tree behind Sesshomaru.

The demon Lord's eyes remove themselves from Inuyasha's ears and instead settle on the inky locks now falling over Inuyasha's shoulders and his forehead. It is dull and looks course, unlike Sesshomaru's own hair, just as its colour is his hair's polar opposite. Sesshomaru finds himself preferring his brother's hair as it is now.

He stands again, his posture perfect. "You should comb your hair, Inuyasha."

"Keh!" Inuaysha snorts, again glaring up at Sesshomaru with his arms crossed over his chest, "I don't have time to obsess over my hair. I'm too busy trying to track down and kill that bastard, Naraku."

Sesshomaru regards the sulking human with a cool stare, "As a child you would ask me to comb your hair and in turn you would comb my own." He turns and heads back towards their companions, "Your friends are worried. Do not stay away for much longer."

Again he hears Inuyasha snort.

The next morning, Sesshomaru listens as his brother's hair is yanked and pulled, and he whines about the waste of their time and the girl's effort; the priestess is attempting to rid his stained grey hair of knots. He has watched her attempt to do this many times before, but this morning is the only time Inuaysha has willingly let her brush it. He doesn't offer his help, just as he doesn't send Rin to offer her own in his place. Inuyasha has had this coming.

He listens, a statue as his brother yelps and whines again, louder, and the priestess 'sits' him. It will be a long day.

Sesshomaru spends it sitting and thinking and wondering about hair as dark as the night, and whether it is sensible for him to regard Inuyasha as attractive, rather than disgusting. He is, after all, a half-breed, first and foremost.

* * *

**Woffy:** Yet another one-shot I don't particularly lik... But meh, what can I do? Anyway, my next update: I probably won't update until either Tuesday or Wednesday... This is because I have an assignment due, so I'm spending the weekend doing that... 

Again thank you for the reviews, they're all appreciated and cheered me up (I was having a rough day at school), you're all life-savers:D

Next theme: _Posture_


	12. Posture

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **T

**Warnings: **Incest, yaoi, OOCness

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**12.** Posture 

Perhaps this was not one of his brightest ideas, Inuyasha ponders as Jaken lectures him for the umpteenth time that day on manners, rules and his station in the castle because of his blood. He is amazed he hasn't thrown the toad out of the closest window, or created a new one.

His chest rumbles with an oncoming growl, one that is low, dangerous and a warning of things to come. Jaken doesn't seem to realise this and continues to prattle, as he paces the length of his Lord's study and waves his staff as though it were a wand and not twice his height. Inuyasha snatches the first item he can reach from the small table he is sitting beside and hurls it, with less than perfect aim, at his brother's aid.

Jaken squawks and lurches forward, as the figurine implants itself temporarily in his stomach. Inuyasha grins with satisfaction, while Jaken groans and remains on the ground.

"I prefer that you would not injure my staff, Inuyasha." The half-breed turns, finding Sesshomaru seemingly gliding across the room, to sit behind his low desk. He drops an assortment of scrolls on it, before his eyes glimmer enticingly from the setting sun's last few moments of light and flicker up to Inuyasha's. The half breed swallows thickly, wondering if Sesshomaru had made his eyes do that on purpose, just to fluster him. Even in his slightly shaken state, his eyes don't leave his brother's.

After a moment to gathering his bearings, Inuyasha huffs, "He was asking for it."

"Even so, Jaken is teaching you the ways of demon nobles. I do not have the time."

Again Inuyasha snorts, but is silent. He eyes the green toad still lying on his stomach, murmuring his qualms quietly. Inuyasha doesn't doubt that Sesshomaru can hear him.

The room remains like this for a while, with Inuyasha and his brother silent and Jaken gurgles worriedly from where he lay. Inuyasha almost jumps when Sesshomaru's smooth voice carries around the room, unsettling the silence, "Jaken, remove yourself from my study. I must speak with Inuyasha alone." Inuyasha watches as the toad shakily returns to his feet and limps heavily, using his staff in order to remain upright, "Visit Sai, he will treat your stomach." He received an awkward, but thankful squawk for his noticing Jaken's discomfort.

After a moment of staring at the now closed door and listening to the lack of noise within the room, Inuyasha turns back to Sesshomaru, watching curiously as the demon Lord carefully signed and read through the documents that had accumulated on his desk over the past day. Sesshomaru seems far too wrapped up in his work to notice Inuyasha's staring.

Inuyasha allows his eyes to stray and his stare turn into a scrutinizing examination. Sesshomaru hasn't aged at all, from what Inuyasha can remember of his brother from his days as a fumbling pup. The only major difference is his brother's lack of a left arm. The demon's hair is shining gold in the candle's light, and hands over Sesshomaru's shoulders and ears. It is nearly completely dark outside, and the candle in front of Sesshomaru flickers with the soothing breeze, making his skin appear soft and edible.

Again Inuyasha swallows at his realisation, and orders his eyes to leave his brother's skin and focus on something else, anything else, just so long as it doesn't cause him to think weird thoughts. He fails, as his eyes study the molten gold one now narrowed at the scroll in front of their owner.

Inuyasha doesn't flinch as his brother's eyes raise to meet his. He is confused about Sesshomaru's reason to stand as his brother makes his way over to him. Again, Inuyasha notices the silence blanketing them. Sesshomaru breaks it, and Inuyasha's ears flick forward in order to hear him better, "Sit by that wall." He orders and lets his eyes flicker to the wall to their left.

Inuyasha's face reverts to its default displeased look and he grumbles quietly as he does as his brother said. He sits with the small of his back against the wall and his shoulders hunched forward slightly. Inuyasha's ears flick again as Sesshomaru steps in front of him and – much to Inuyasha's surprise – he kneels in front of him, his knees brushing Inuyasha's shins. His back is immediately flat against the wall as his brother's face appears a mere inch before his own, and he can feel Sesshomaru's warm breath puffing over his moist nose.

"You are to sit with your back straight, Inuyasha. You are a noble dog demon, heir to the Western Lands and you should act like it."

Inuyasha manages a rude snort with little movement, "Keh! They're your lands!"

"Yes," Sesshomaru's lips seem oddly close to his own, Inuaysha realises distractedly, "But should I be killed you _will_ take my place."

Inuyasha doesn't dare nod, he doesn't dare move at all as his brother shifts and he most definitely does feel Sesshomaru's lips brush over his own. After a moment, Sesshomaru speaks again, his tone almost confused, "You do not miss the priestess, little brother?"

Inuyasha nods, his mind more on his lips and finding ways to make Sesshomaru's brush his without him moving, than on Kagome and her not coming back to visit him or his friends. The sacred jewel shards have been collected and are now in her possession again, but Inuyasha doesn't care about her… Not now. Maybe later...

"Why?" His brother's questions startles Inuyasha back into the realm of the breathing and he's surprised to find Sesshomaru's hand holding his shoulder. It is then, with some surprise that Inuyasha realises that they are almost equal in height, except Sesshomaru is still taller.

"What?" He asks rudely.

"Why do you not miss your human?"

"She was from the future, she – she didn't belong here anyway." Inuyasha meets Sesshomaru's eyes and growls, "Now stop asking about her! It's enough that Miroku and Sango give me pity stares, I don't need yours either!"

Inuyasha doesn't expect a reaction and he doesn't get one, just a bored, blank stare. He winces as his shoulder's start to sink down again, and he forces himself upright as his cheek brushes Sesshomaru's and he feels Sesshomaru's hand fall to his chest. He hears his brother gasp, and his amber eyes are immediately focussed on Sesshomaru.

Surprisingly, Sesshomaru's face has gained a pink tinge and Inuyasha tries to not focus on his parted lips and the tongue darting out and licking them. His eyes are closed, but he hasn't moved. Curious, Inuyasha lifts a clawed hand and traces one side of the magenta stripes lining Sesshomaru's right cheek, and is delighted to see a shiver run up his brother's spine and another gasp burst from his lips.

Why hadn't he tried this before? Inuyasha asks himself. He could have beaten Sesshomaru long ago if he'd known his stripes created such a delicious reaction. He smirked as he did so again, and quickly again, only making his brother pant harder and harder until Inuyasha finds his left hand incapacitated.

Sesshomaru is glaring and panting, "Enough. You will not humiliate this Sesshomaru."

A smirk cannot stay from Inuyasha's face and he almost grins at his brother's reaction, "You forget, I have two arms." As if to prove his point, Inuyasha's right lashes out, tenderly rubbing the twin stripes on Sesshomaru's left cheek.

He feels Sesshomaru's grip loosen and gladly regains the use of his left arm and attacks both of Sesshomaru's cheeks at once. The reaction from Sesshomaru is immediate and Inuyasha can't help the sadistic glee he feels course through him like a rapid as he continues to mercilessly rub his brother's stripes. It is the first time in his long life he's had power over his perfect brother. And it feels invigorating.

But then, surprisingly, Sesshomaru slumps forward, his bones and muscles seemingly turning to goo and Inuyasha finds himself pressed against the wall, his posture perfect. Sesshomaru has fallen unconscious from Inuyasha's ministrations, and Inuyasha feels a strong urge to survive and flee from his brother's study before he wakes up and seeks him out. Inuyasha fears for his ears; the things Sesshomaru often threatens to cut off should he annoy him enough.

After an hour, Inuyasha's back is aching from sitting up straight for too long. Yet he doesn't move; he doesn't want to wake the unconscious demon laying against his chest, looking innocent and harmless, the complete opposite of his attitude when he was awake. Inuyasha mutters quietly, about how lazy his brother is, about how heavy Sesshomaru seems, and smiles tenderly down at his brother, stoking his claws through the demon's silky hair.

He doesn't mind having perfect posture, if he gets to hold Sesshomaru like this every night.

* * *

**Woffy:** -is giggling- I love the idea of Sesshomaru's stripes being sensitive, perhaps because I like the thought of Sesshomaru having a weakness that isn't companion related... And having Inuyasha exploit them... -grin- And I know I said Tuesday or Wednesday would be my next update date, but the assignment was easier than I thought... 

Thank you to _perishedlove_ and _Priestess Reiko_ for your reviews!

Next theme: _Dance _(Don't ask me, I have no clue... Yet...)


	13. Dance

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **K+

**Warnings: **OOCness, swearing...

* * *

**Waning Moon **

**13.** Dance 

Sesshomaru knows about his charge's innocent, troublesome and almost dangerous, presence. She has introduced him to the idea of having a child, and to the concept of caring for another and protecting that other. Just as she has introduced him to the idea that he could be wrong about his subordinates and Inuyasha. He feels that she is very much his daughter, though he does not feel the need to express that aloud; Rin has always been good at reading him, she will understand without words.

Sometimes, though it is very rare, Sesshomaru will allow his knuckles to crush over her forehead accidentally when he knows his brother and his friends aren't looking and Rin is in need of comfort. He does not want Inuyasha to know of his growing feelings for this child. He knows of the argument that will follow and the smart ass answers and questions he'll be subjected to hearing and answering to. But Sesshomaru does not enjoy seeing his daughter cry or wallow in doubts and sadness; she is a naturally cheerful child and he prefers to keep it that way. So he will continue to accidentally comfort her.

However, even his young charge can hit a sore spot within the demon, sending his thoughts into a spiral of continuous deliberation that leaves him dazed and incapacitated. He will often avoid her for hours after she has stumped him with her childish games and views on the world. Her views on his relationship with Inuyasha have been a favoured topic of hers for some time now and they have left him feeling confused and thus irritated.

Her opinion of Inuyasha has made Sesshomaru review all his claims of what the half-breed should be and how he should act. In her eyes he is a hero, a nice man under his supposed tough-guy image. Rin believes that this has nothing to do with his human blood, but more about upbringing, and Sesshomaru often hears her talking to Inuyasha's deceased mother, as though she were alive and sitting beside her. She often thanks her for taking such good care of Inuyasha, so that he would live and make her Lord Sesshomaru happy. When he'd heard this conversation Sesshomaru was mesmerised by his child's pure thoughts on their very shaky relationship.

At the moment, Sesshomaru is sitting beside Rin, who is making flowery chains as presents for Kagome and Sango and is singing contently as she does. Sesshomaru is musing on what his brother could have been like had he fought for his guardianship when he was a pup. One such consequence would have been him being brought up the way his father would have wanted.

Sesshomaru is unable to change his brother's image or personality, even within his mind, and Sesshomaru finds it hard to resist wincing as he imagines his brother with his own aloof persona and his almost obsessive attitude towards his own hygiene. He is unable to claim that Inuyasha is Inuyasha should he be polite and unobtrusive and _noble_. Sesshomaru has grown too used to his brother being a ruffian, just as he can only accept any Inuyasha as being such.

"Oi, bastard!"

Sesshomaru's golden gaze flickers up to Inuyasha's face and the image he'd been sweating to create of a refined Inuyasha shatters. Inuyasha looks far more like the barbarian his made himself out to be than usual. His hair is full of leaves and has turned a light grey from his lack of bathing and his face bears smudges of dirt. He ignores his brother's bait and simply stares.

"Want to spar? Miroku's busy attempting to womanize Sango." Sesshomaru can hear the predictable 'again' sound through his brother's mind. The demon Lord knows of the consequences the monk will suffer; he'd been on the receiving side of the monk's flirtatious comments often. Sesshomaru was and is always saved by Inuyasha.

"Are you listening to me?" Inuyasha asks, his voice having gained a growling tone, like that of a dog being threatened.

Inuyasha is strong, just like their father, Sesshomaru thinks as his eyes flicker down to the little girl singing and smiling beside him. This strength is different to his own; it comes from wanting to protect one's friends. He will humour his little brother.

"Where shall we spar?" Sesshomaru allows his fingers to accidentally brush Rin's cheek as he stands with his face blank. He hears her happy giggle, the one that reminds him of the bells his nurse used to place on him as a pup, and strides towards his brother.

Inuyasha flicks his ears and they draw Sesshomaru's eyes like moon draws out the wolves' howls, "Over there. Shippo might actually learn something."

There is a small cry of 'hey' as the fox demon whines over Inuyasha's jabs and the cub is soon seated near Rin as they move to the clearing to their left. Sesshomaru claims that they can watch, as long as they stay a fair distance away; he does not want them to get in the way.

As they stand facing the other, a distance of three or more metres between them, Sesshomaru notes the crouch Inuyasha relaxes into: it is the same one as he'd taught his brother when he'd started the half-breed's training. He does the same, but turns his body side on and places his left and only hand in front of his chest, his palm turned out. He must change his stance, because of his lack of a right arm.

He hears Rin's cheerful chattering as they stare the other down. Sesshomaru must be patient, as Inuyasha is not; he will attack first, soon. A few moments later, as he predicted, Inuyasha flings himself towards Sesshomaru, his claws beared as he throws his hand at his brother's nose.

Sesshomaru dodges with ease. Inuyasha is far too slow. He resumes his stance when he is a metre to Inuyasha's right, amused by his brother's annoyed growl. They do this several times, each time causing Inuyasha to growl louder and louder and finally begin shouting at him. Sesshomaru graces his brother with a small smirk, one that holds only amusement and no hints of malice.

It seems to throw Inuyasha off balance and while the dazed look remains in Inuyasha's golden eyes, Sesshomaru sees it suitable to attack. He slows his punches and allows Inuyasha to evade and defend. Sesshomaru must be careful about his younger brother catching in only hand; it will leave him defenceless if he does.

After a while later Inuyasha is panting, and Sesshomaru is stubbornly trying to hide his own laboured breaths. Sesshomaru removes his boa, then – seemingly much to Inuyasha's surprise – sets himself to the clumsy task of removing his armour. It drops to the ground with whining clangs. Sesshomaru moves them to the tree their spectators are sitting at.

"We will start again." Sesshomaru says quietly, not looking towards Inuyasha as he walks to stand in his original spot. His breathing is now normal, "Stand up, little brother, you are not so weak you cannot continue fighting."

As Inuyasha gasps for breath and stands and gasps some more, Sesshomaru focuses on the conversation his little charge has started with the fox cub.

"You mean he's going to fight without it? Won't that make it easier to beat Inuyasha?" He hears the cub ask in surprise.

Rin giggles, "Lord Sesshomaru isn't going to hurt Inuyasha. They're dancing, silly. Can't Shippo tell?"

Sesshomaru notices his brother's ears twitch with annoyance and his face gain a pink hue, as though he were training in Totosai's 'garden' and colouring from its heat. He thinks little of it. He tunes out all else, but his brother and his brother's vital signs: his breathing and his pulse. He will teach Inuyasha how to fight by beating him.

They must dance some more.

* * *

**Woffy:** I... Don't know where the idea came from, but I believe Rin is a huge part of Sesshomaru's life and as such she will tend to sway his feelings and thoughts... Others' opinions help make the world clearer after all... -smile- 

I have to say, I'm pleasantly surprised... I didn't think I'd get such a good response for my last one-shot... Thank you all for the reviews! They're all appreciated and used to fuel my writing...

I just have to warn you all though: My computer's been stuffing up again, so if I don't update for a long period of time it's broken and I have no other access to this site...

Next Theme:_ Heroes _


	14. Heroes

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **G

**Warnings: **OOCness, blood-drinking...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**14.** Heroes

Sesshomaru watches with little amusement as the human woman, Izayoi, allows his younger brother to play in the mud outside the village. He's giggling and squealing and utterly _filthy_, yet his small chubby hands don't cease to bury themselves time and time again in the muddy ground. He looks far too pale, far too weak; this woman isn't caring for his younger brother properly. Sesshomaru's eyes the clean white mop of hair atop of the pup's head and the spark of fire within the pup's golden eyes, so much like his own. It is only a second later when his younger brother dumps mud on top of his own head.

He hasn't made an effort to completely conceal himself, and Sesshomaru is sure the human knows of his whereabouts; she cannot be blind, not if his father chose her. If anything she should see his silvery white hair shine under the sun's warming rays. White isn't the best colour to wear when attempting to hide one's self in a forest.

The newly made Lord of the Western Planes' eyes flicker back down to the pup still poking at the mud he's sitting in, before he grins broadly up at his mother and lets out a delighted shriek. Sesshomaru does not understand why females find such things cute; all his brother has succeeded in doing is making his sensitive ears hurt.

He casts one last glance at the family, before he turns and begins to think of his next visit tomorrow. He has duties, a lot more than what Sesshomaru had had when his father was alive. He'll return tomorrow, when he has some free time.

And he does. His younger brother looks sickly, more so than the day before. He is still pale, though now he is almost as white as his own kimono and he is unable to feel any demon energy at all from the small pup.

Sesshomaru allows his eyes to scan about the room he is floating outside of, before he hops down onto the window's sill and he steps into the room. He'd done this before, the night after his little brother and his mother had been saved and his father had died. However, it is the first time he has attempted a secret visit during daylight hours.

The young Lord quietly strides to the side of his brother's cot, where the small half-breed is supposed to be sleeping. He is not. The pup tugging at his own bedding, keen to completely demolish his bed. His little brother peers up at him, his eyes huge, bright and full of curiosity. Sesshomaru gazes down at his brother also, his eyes cold.

"You are weak." He says with his voice a steady monotone.

The pup cocks his head. Sesshomaru raises his hands and braces them on the edge of the cot, before, careful of his sharp claws, he reaches for the fumbling pup now taking playful swipes at his claws and lifts him from his cot.

Sesshomaru gingerly holds him out in front of him, and the pup wriggles and kicks like a captured worm. Sesshomaru realises that he does not know how to hold him. Slowly, though he does not want to, Sesshomaru holds the pup to his chest, just as he has seen the human woman do. He feels tiny, delicate fingers grab and tug at his kimono, and he gingerly shifts the pup so he does not injure himself on Sesshomaru's armour.

The pup stares at the bone spikes protruding from Sesshomaru's armour, and the demon speaks, "They can kill you if you are not careful, little brother." The pup whines, giggles and fingers one playfully, stroking the rough bone. Sesshomaru watches.

The pup soon grows tired of the shining armour, and is soon staring reaching for Sesshomaru's chin. Sesshomaru watches with disguised interest as the pup's eyebrows furrow, before you giggles and gurgles and strokes Sesshomaru's chin. Before long those tiny fingers are tracing his lips.

"Enough, little brother, you are not growing strong. Your mother does not know how to care for you." He says against the fingers groping his lips. Sesshomaru balances the pup gingerly in his right hand, before lifting his left to his own mouth.

He bats away the small hands and opens his mouth. Sesshomaru quickly sucks his left index finger in his mouth and allows his sharp teeth to puncture the soft, smooth skin at the finger's tip. He sucks once, twice, making sure the blood will flow from the small wound. He then offers his finger to his younger brother.

"Eat." He orders.

The pup looks confused, his ears pricked before they begin to twitch atop his head and Sesshomaru shows him again: sucking his finger inside his own mouth before pressing it against his brother's lips. The half-breed seems to get it this time and begins to suck on it. He makes a happy sound and clutches at Sesshomaru's hand. Sesshomaru is surprised the half-breed enjoys his blood so, he is half human.

Sesshomaru cannot help but gaze wonderingly at just how tiny his brother's hands are, and how small he is in general. Had his father felt as he does now when he'd first held Sesshomaru, the Lord wonders idly? His little brother feels fragile in his hand.

It takes a few minutes, but soon the half-breed is full and Sesshomaru is content with the changes in the little pup. He isn't as pale, his skin a pale pink instead of white. His grip seems stronger also.

Sesshomaru sticks his finger in his mouth again and swipes his tongue over the puncture wound, willing it to seal before he grasps his little brother around the waist again with both his hands. Gingerly, the Lord places him back in the cot.

The pup yawns hugely, before he curls up and begins to snooze. Sesshomaru covers his brother's mostly bare being in his silken blankets before he stands straight.

Sesshomaru doesn't know of his brother's name. He's heard the human woman call him 'Inu' but Sesshomaru refuses to call his younger brother that. Calling a half-breed dog demon, 'dog' seems disrespectful in the young Lord's eyes, and his younger brother is not even ten yet.

He hears footsteps and they serve as a reminder that Sesshomaru is not supposed to be here. Sesshomaru casts his brother one last glance before he disappears from the room, and resumes his floating outside the room's window.

Izayoi appears at the door a moment later, carrying a small bottle of milk. She seems surprised as she nears the oak cot and Sesshomaru sees her hand brush back his brother's fringe.

"How strange." He hears her muse, "You're usually screaming by now, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru recognises the name and stores it within his mind for future use; he will now be able to use his little brother's name. Izayoi frowns, "No fever, you can't be sick."

Sesshomaru scowls. Inuyasha will be incapable of falling sick, not after his feeding on Sesshomaru's blood. It is a common practice amongst demons. All infants, human or otherwise, are incapable of fighting off illness. They must be strengthened by a relative's blood.

As the woman continues to check Inuyasha, Sesshomaru allows himself one last long stare before he turns to fly towards his home. Inuyasha is still fast asleep. It is time for him to complete his duties.

"This Sesshomaru will see you tomorrow, Inuyasha."

* * *

**Woffy:** Neh... All demons are vampires... This one-shot was inspired by_ oStilloDreamingo_'s fic: Possession, which I love to bits... 

Thank you for the reviews: _perishedlove_, _SilenceoftheHeart _and _Severus Snape's Bitch_.

Next Theme: _Jealousy_


	15. Jealousy

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **T

**Warnings: **Incest, yaoi, OOCness, swearing, _slight _angst... There's an OC in this one-shot...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**15. **Jealousy

Inuyasha's nerves have been grated to their roots and he is finding it extremely hard to remain where he is seated. He is sitting in on his first meeting between Sesshomaru and another Lord of Japan. This Lord Ta – Te – Er – Inuyasha silently snorts and gives up trying to remember what the jackass' name is. All Inuyasha is able to remember is that the Lord rules over the Northern lands and that his hand is continuously inching closer to Sesshomaru's.

It seems the Lord isn't just after Sesshomaru's proposed trade agreement, but his hand as well. Inuyasha has to withhold a tremendous growl; Sesshomaru is his and his alone. No one but him is allowed to lay a hand on him.

He finds himself caught in yet another glaring contest with the Lord as his brother explains the trade agreement he's proposed between their lands. Inuyasha has no doubts that Sesshomaru knows of their actions, and is humouring them enough to allow it, but he wishes he were sitting just a bit closer to Sesshomaru. Perhaps then, the bastard would understand his place within the castle.

"I apologise for having to ask you this, Lord Sesshomaru," The other Lord says, his tone dripping with fake remorse, "But this half breed is stinking up the room. Are you sure it is necessary for him to be present for our meeting?"

Inuyasha growls quietly, annoyed with the Northern Lord's nerve. He isn't just Inuyasha, half-breed and Sesshomaru's brother, not anymore. He won't have his mate being talked to in such a dishonest way!

"He is my mate," Inuyasha feels himself tingle with sadistic mirth as the Northern Lord's eyes widen and his mouth falls agape. Sesshomaru's tone remains level, "He will remain by my side. And I suggest, Lord Tatsuya, that you show my mate the same respect you show me."

Inuyasha is surprised by the look of complete disbelief on the Tatsuya's face, and the way his lips twist into a snarl. "What?" He bellows, and slams his fists against the table in front of them, making it quake, "You took this _disgrace_ as your mate, Sesshomaru? Where are your marks? Why can I not feel them?"

Inuyasha scowls also, his golden eyes filled with rage as they narrow, "What's that supposed to mean? Sesshomaru has the right to have anyone he wants as a mate!" And besides, Inuyasha continues in his head, he could have taken worse mates; like Kagura or that wimpy wolf, Kouga. At least he was able to defend his mate in times of crisis.

The Lord releases a ferocious hiss, one that reminds Inuyasha of an angry geyser, "You aren't worth anything! You're a worse choice in mate than that human Izayoi was!"

Inuyasha stands abruptly, causing the table to shake, and attempts to loom dangerously over the Northern Lord, like he's seen his mate do so often, "Don't you insult my mother, you jacka-"

"Enough Inuyasha, calm yourself. I will not have blood spilt inside my home."

The half-breed glares down on Sesshomaru, "He just insulted my mother!"

"To us, that is what she is." Sesshomaru reasons, only angering Inuyasha more, "Calm down. Do not make me stand."

Inuyasha casts both Lords an angry glance and takes in Sesshomaru's emotionless face and Tatsuya's disgusted look with a huff. He seats himself down in an ungraceful flop to his mate's right again. He doesn't feel at all comforted when Sesshomaru nods.

He hears a hissing chuckle come from Tatsuya, "Well, at least you've trained him, Sesshomaru." The dragon demon comments as he flicks his wrist, showing off his sharp, green claws. "But that does not change your choosing to take this filth as your mate. Where are your marks? Explain yourself! Immediately!"

Inuyasha snorts, and opens his mouth to retort, "I do not appreciate anyone disrespecting my mate, Lord Tatsuya." Inuyasha's jaw snaps shut instantly, his ears at attention as Sesshomaru continues; he doesn't think he'll ever get tired of hearing Sesshomaru talk or defend their relationship, "As my mate he is my other half, and thus he is also a Lord of the Western Planes." The demon's eyes narrow, "Respect him, or do not rely on this Sesshomaru's help should you find yourself in battle."

There is a pregnant silence, as Sesshomaru and Tatsuya stare the other down. Inuyasha doubts Tatsuya knows what he's gotten himself into; Sesshomaru is capable of staring without blinking for hours.

"You will extract yourself from my lands, immediately." Sesshomaru orders as the Lord hisses again and looks away; defeated.

Tatsuya's emerald eyes narrow to slits, like that of a careful cat, before he stands and glowers down on Sesshomaru. Inuyasha knows that Sesshomaru does not approve of his actions, but he has his left arm is now pressed against Sesshomaru's right, as he attempts to prove their claims without taking his mate into his arms. Or perhaps it is to comfort them both. Somehow Inuyasha doesn't feel that Sesshomaru's surprised by the Lord's anger.

"You will regret this, Sesshomaru." Tatsuya says, before he starts to stride towards the door, then outside where he lifts himself from the ground in a purple and midnight blue ball of lightning.

Inuyasha snorts and turns to his mate, wrapping an arm around Sesshomaru as he does, "We can defeat him. Easy, no problem."

"I do not wish to start a war, Inuyasha."

"Keh! He started it. What he said was uncalled for!"

"There was no need for you to challenge him."

"Hey!" Inuyasha exclaims, his right hand holding Sesshomaru's wrist, his left tugging Sesshomaru's waist, pulling him close, "He started it! He was making eyes at you and you can't tell me honestly that you didn't notice what his hand was doing! I'm not going to allow my mate to be flirted with! He came here for business!"

Sesshomaru regards him with cool eyes, despite their fiery colour, and Inuyasha feels a familiar burning in his chest. He hates it when Sesshomaru will not talk to him, he prefers his mate being whiny (though Sesshomaru never is and he doubts he ever will be) to being silent.

"Your jealous streak astounds me, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru says, quietly, soothingly. "I have eyes for only one creature. Lord Tatsuya's and the other council members' flirting falls on stone ears."

The half-breed grins, and pulls Sesshomaru down and closer to him, so that his mate's head is resting against his red clad chest shoulder. He allows his claws to flow through his mate's silken strands as Sesshomaru shifts into a more comfortable position: his right shoulder against Inuyasha's firm chest, his nose nuzzled against Inuyasha's thin neck.

"I am no child Inuyasha. You do not need to treat me as such."

"You know you like it." Inuyasha says with a smirk and a mischievous slide of his hand. Sesshomaru shivers minutely as Inuyasha warms the magenta markings on his left cheek.

Inuyasha's eyebrows furrow and his stomach knots as he recalls the Northern Lord's demands. He runs his hand through Sesshomaru's fringe, careful of Sesshomaru's moon marking and his claws, "Hey, Sesshomaru, what marks was the jackass talking about? We haven't marked each other."

Sesshomaru remains silent, and it angers the half-breed the Lord is resting against; he knows he is not asleep, his heart is still beating fast and his breath is puffing onto Inuyasha's chin at a steady, yet too fast, pace. Inuyasha frowns, and carefully turns his brother's face up to his own, "Oi, bastard, I'm talking to you."

The Lord's eyes blink open, and settle on Inuyasha's own, "He is talking about our mating marks. They are bites each mate will give the other, usually on the neck or on the shoulder, though some demons, such as snake or dragons will mark each other's torsos. It finalises and allows other demons to feel that each mate belongs to the other."

"You mean to tell me we aren't mates?" Inuyasha asks loudly, his claws braced on either side of Sesshomaru's face. "You haven't stopped me from calling you my mate, hell, you just said I was your own! We just told that jackass that we were mates and we aren't?"

Sesshomaru simply blinks up at Inuyasha, his breathing becoming labored. Inuyasha removes his hot palms from his brother's cheeks, realising his mistake. "You better let me mark you tonight. Then you can mark me."

Sesshomaru doesn't react for a moment, before he speaks softly, "You will not be marking me, Inuyasha."

"Why the hell not?"

His brother regards him for a moment, his eyes locked on Inuyasha's before he starts to speak, "Our roles during intercourse influence the aura that will surround us should we mark each other. I am beta, and as such, every demon that we should meet will know." Sesshomaru finishes his explanation by closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

Inuyasha looks bewildered and asks rudely, "So?"

"I will not be respected or be seen as a fit ruler should the other council members know about my role within our relationship. It is likely that many Lords will challenge my role as Lord of the Western Planes in order to gain more power and land." Sesshomaru takes a calming breath and Inuyasha can swear he can see sadness, or perhaps anger in his brother's eyes. Inuyasha isn't sure; there are few emotions Inuyasha recognises within his brother; Sesshomaru does not share his feelings freely.

"The Lord that wins, should the other council members agree, would then seek to break our mating bond. He would then kill you and take me as his mate to legitimise his position, should he not already have one. Within that mating, I will be beta."

Inuyasha thinks he understands, and his realisation only causes a boiling anger - or was it another form of jealousy? This time directed towards Sesshomaru's people and land. - to bubble within him. Sesshomaru doesn't want to be seen as weak, he doesn't want to lose his lands, nor lose his position as the ruler of them. Sesshomaru doesn't want to take a risk for him, for his _mate._

He allows Sesshomaru to sit up and then, a moment later, stand. "It is enough that this Sesshomaru acknowledges you as his mate." The demon reasons softly, "You will not mark me." Sesshomaru repeats before he begins his walk towards the golden brown, sliding door.

Inuyasha watches him go, and his heart sinks painfully, as his hands fist tightly and his knuckles whiten. Inuyasha knows he cannot compare to Sesshomaru's appearance as a Lord within Japan. Sesshomaru's role within society will always be his brother's biggest priority. Not him.

Inuyasha will always come second.

* * *

**Woffy:** Sesshomaru can be a bastard sometimes... But that's why he's such an interesting character! Even though he was OOC this chapter... 

Thank you for the reviews _chichi, perishedlove _and _Priestess Reiko_...

Next Theme:_ Family _


	16. Family

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **G

**Warnings: **Incest, yaoi, OOCness, sadish fluff...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**16.** Family

Sesshomaru stares down on the human boy standing and shaking – as minutely as he is – before him, his back straight and head held high. He can see Inuyasha's smirking from within his peripheral vision, to his left, but he ignores his mate. Rin is standing behind Kohaku. She is watching him with tender eyes full of trust, as though she knows he will not refuse Kohaku's proposal. He won't but that doesn't stop him from torturing the boy's weaker mind.

"Lord S-Sesshomaru," Judging by the human's expression, Sesshomaru knows he realises his mistake. Kohaku takes another deep breath, calming himself, before he raises his head to look Sesshomaru in the eyes, "I would like to ask for your daughter's - Rin's - hand. And we would like your blessing." He asks, giving a respectful bow.

Sesshomaru regards the boy – man now – with a level stare. He has gotten to know him over the past nine and a bit years, after he'd revived him. He is loyal, and treats Rin well. He knows very well that Kohaku would do anything to protect her; after witnessing him being wounded badly enough to have himself kept in bed for week, Sesshomaru is unable to doubt that. The demon Lord knows he will care for Rin.

Sesshomaru has taken these reasons into account, but there is one more thing he must consider, and though he is saddened by the thought, he must admit it. Rin is incredibly happy with Kohaku. The human is the reason for her brightest smiles, not him, not anymore. Sesshomaru must let her go.

It is easier thought than done, he realises quickly.

He is silent and Sesshomaru takes some pleasure in watching Kohaku squirm. His lack of reaction or response has earned a disapproving look from Rin and a bright eyed smirk from Inuyasha. His mate appears to enjoy his tormenting of the young man. It serves the human right for daring to take Rin away.

It is only a minute later when Sesshomaru takes in a breath through his nose, releases it and speaks, "You have my blessing." He earns an extremely relieved grin from Kohaku and a brilliant smile from Rin as she hooks her arm with her soon-to-be husband's. It reminds him of the smiles he had received from her when she was a child.

Sesshomaru doesn't realise Rin has moved until her arms are wrapped around his neck and she is whispering happy words of thanks into his pointed ear. Hesitantly, he allows his only arm to wrap around her waist as he returns the hug. They must make a sight, he idly muses; Sesshomaru, the ice Lord of the west, and his adopted daughter hugging with her legs hanging a good six inches above the ground. Sesshomaru lowers her to the earth after a moment more.

"Thank you!" She whispers again, and kisses the skin of his nose. She doesn't attempt to peck his cheek; she now knows how sensitive his markings are. It had been a very amusing incident, her finding out, though he'd worried for her mind after it. She seems well enough, he muses; she is happy.

He nods and watches, as she takes Kohaku's hand and leads him deeper into Sesshomaru's large garden, chattering happily about their ceremony. He has heard the word 'flowers' mentioned twice now. Sesshomaru thinks he will offer his home as the venue for the occasion, then he muses over what he shall give them as a gift.

Sesshomaru hears Inuyasha snort as he moves to stand beside him, "Who knew she'd actually marry him? He tried to kill her once, didn't he?" The half-breed comments with an amused shake of his head. He snorts back a laugh, as they watch Rin glue herself to Kohaku's chest in a huge hug.

"He did." Sesshomaru confirms. His eyes only stray from the couple when Kohaku leans down to kiss Rin. The demon Lord turns and starts back towards the confines of his home; he needs to think.

He hears Inuyasha laugh again, "Hey, old man, you do notice that by this time next year you'll be a grandfather?"

It is a thought that has not yet occurred to Sesshomaru and it only makes him realise that Rin is getting on in life. Soon after she is a mother, she will become a grandmother, and then a corpse. The thought makes Sesshomaru's chest ache.

"Her children will be well taken care of." Sesshomaru remarks softly.

"Yeah, but they'll be weird kids. With a bastard for a grandfather," Inuyasha makes his point known with the accusing stare he sends at Sesshomaru. He hears his mate snigger, and ignores the look, "A cheerful human and a used-to-be guilt consumed demon slayer as parents." Sesshomaru hears Inuyasha chuckle again; he seems thoroughly amused by their growing group, "Sango's pretty normal, but the poor kids'll have Miroku for an uncle."

Sesshomaru feels the same sentiments as his mate: They make a bizarre family.

"I fear that, should we have a grandson, the monk will educate the boy in his lecherous ways." The demon Lord reveals.

He hears Inuyasha huff, "Miroku'll have too many bruises to continue after his first attempt!"

Sesshomaru smirks at the thought also, his mind providing an image of a beaten husband and his demon slayer wife standing over him. The pair are a constant source of amusement for the demon, and seemingly for his mate also, if his smile is anything to go by.

A sudden thought strikes the demon Lord and he smiles slightly, "They will have a girl first."

Inuyasha blinks stupidly once, twice, before asking, "How do you know that?"

"Intuition, Inuyasha."

"Intuition, he says," His mate mocks. His eyes reach for Sesshomaru's and capture them. They both pause in their journey, "Well, I bet they'll have a boy. Deal?"

Sesshomaru nods, "You will lose."

* * *

**Woffy: **I couldn't help myself. I can see Sesshomaru being a grandpapa to several small human children. -_sweatdrop_- 

Thank you for the reviews _perishedlove, C-loke, Jester08, Hiruma01 _and_ SilenceoftheHeart. _They're all appreciated!_  
_

Next Theme: _Courtship _


	17. Courtship

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **K+

**Warnings: **OOCness, swearing, shonen ai (if you squint _REALLY _hard), no blantant inucest, sorry...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**17.** Courtship

They're camped beneath a large sakura tree, their scent tickling the half-demon that often gives each dropping petal a glancing glare before turning to rest his cheek on the head resting on his shoulder. That day had brought a new shard possessed demon at them, and then saw another spat between Inuyasha and Kagome. The half-breed recalls Sango and Miroku's sad shake of their heads, and how Kagome had 'sat' him, called him a jerk and stomped off. He is glad she is back and within his sight.

He's been meaning to ponder his mother's talk about babies, love and courtship. He has been thinking about how to make Kagome happier. He remembers each of his mother's words. He remembers how his face had reddened to a much brighter colour than his fire-rat kimono. He would laugh at his own stupidity had Kagome not been leaning on his shoulder, sound asleep, calm and not talking.

Slowly, carefully, so he does not confuse her words and therefore their meaning, he recalls his mother's speech: "Courtship requires gift giving and spending time with the one you love." His mother had begun with a wistful smile, in retrospect, Inuyasha thinks she was thinking about his father, "Women like receiving bouquets flowers as their first few gifts. And then as you become more familiar to the one you care about, you may choose to give fewer flowers. This shows how much you trust each other; if she doesn't like it, then you should expect that your relationship will go slowly." She'd made a face at this stage, one that left one of her eyebrows raised and a very slight frown on her pink lips; she must have been thinking to herself.

Her eyes had soon begun to gleam when he'd enthusiastically nodded, "Often, once a couple has been together for sometime, the woman will give their suitor jewellery, or perhaps trinkets. Their purpose is to be a catalyst for memory; when a man sees the item he will remember his lover. Often this is when it is proper to kiss your partner." He remembers that by this stage of her explanation, Inuyasha's face was bright red, and, being only sixteen and looking ten.

Inuyasha feels Kagome move against his shoulder, so that her face is turned up towards his own. Inuyasha's mind wanders. Perhaps he could…

"You should let the one you care about make the first move, Inuyasha." His mother had warned, "She will no doubt be nervous, and you don't want to force yourself upon her."

Instantly the thought of kissing Kagome leaves his mind and Inuyasha settles his sight on the full moon, attempting to distract himself.

He realises, with a curious twitch of his ears, that he hasn't tried any traditional methods of 'wooing' Kagome. Though he thinks saving her life is as much a gift than anything else; he could just let her get eaten; she'd managed to put herself in harm's way enough, she was practically calling for it. Besides that, he thinks with a stubborn crossing of his arms, she shouldn't be angry at him for not wanting to walk around a village he's never been to just to 'look at all the shops' when he knows all he'll do is look over his shoulder. He has grown to be paranoid around any stranger, especially when there are many around him. He can hear their plans as they whisper to each other from behind their hands: "If he stays here, let's wait until he's asleep," "We can kill him outside the village." Inuyasha thinks it's completely reasonable for him not want to go.

But Kagome doesn't understand that people are afraid of those different to them, and that because Inuyasha is half-demon, he will never be accepted without fear or anger anywhere. not even his brother accepts his blood, and Inuyasha is beginning to think Kagome will never understand. Not fully.

With that sorted, Inuyasha decides he will attempt to try and be nicer to Kagome, to be nicer and not yell. He doubts he'll last five minutes, but he'll try.

Slowly, Inuyasha feels his breathing starting to slow, and his body starting to relax against the tree behind him. His eyes slide shut contently as he takes a final deep breath of air through his nose.

Instantly, his eyes are open and his ears standing to attention. Inuyasha can smell Sesshomaru, he is not too far away, north of their small camp. Gingerly, Inuyasha sets Kagome against the ground and sets the blanket over her. She remains asleep and he casts her a long stare before turning away. Kilala's here, and as she raises her eyes to meet his he decides that she will take care of his friends. She's a light sleeper and will be able to wake Sango before anything attempts to attack them.

He then rushes into the forest, his ears pricked and his claws bared and glinting white in the moonlight, ready for a battle. It isn't long before he bounds into an open field and pauses, his claws bared and eyes searching. The flowers the feild holds are closed, sleeping like he should be as Inuyasha's golden eyes scan the area and soon, he has Sesshomaru within his sight.

The demon Lord isn't facing him, but looking out over a river, his feet inches from the waters steady licking at the bank. There is no scent of fear; no smell of blood on the demon, Inuyasha believes he is capable of a good, long fight. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Inuyasha scowls and calls out, once he is a few metres away from Sesshomaru, his hand poised on Tessaiga, "What are you doin' around here? Want a fight?"

Sesshomaru doesn't answer immediately, and even Inuyasha must strain his ears in order to hear him once he does, "I do not wish to fight you tonight, Inuyasha." As if to prove his words, Inuyasha realises that there really isn't any sign of hostility from Sesshomaru. Surprisingly, he seems unguarded.

He won't lower his defences, though; Sesshomaru might bait for a trap, "So, why are you out here then?"

"I am admiring the moon."

"The moon?"

Sesshomaru nods, causing his hair to flash white silver before it returns to simply shining, "It isn't quite as stunning when one is watching it from within the forest."

"Keh," Inuyasha snorts as he crouches down, his elbows resting on his knees, ears and eyes still completely focussed on his brother, "It's just a moon. It's the same as the full moon that we saw last month, and all the times before that."

Sesshomaru moves to sit down, startling Inuyasha into his fighting stance. Sesshomaru turns his head, so that he is staring over his left shoulder, and regards Inuyasha with uncaring eyes, before turning them back to the sky, "That may be so, but certain circumstances change our perspective. The moon tonight is looking especially appealing to me."

Inuyasha snorts, "Why?"

"It is unreachable. No matter how hard demons and humans should try, we will never get close to touching it."

"And that's why you're staring at it?" Inuyasha asks, one dark eyebrow raised.

Sesshomaru remains still and silent. Inuyasha crouches again, his own amber eyes aimed at the moon.

He doesn't understand what Sesshomaru finds so entrancing about it. 'Unreachable?' Inuyasha must hold back a snort, here's the biggest, cold hearted bastard Inuyasha has had the _pleasure _of meeting, being philosophical! Really, Sesshomaru thinks too much. Inuyasha squints, trying to find something worth staring at, but even then he does not find much; it is a moon.

His brother must be losing it, he muses with a small upturning of his lips. Or he has finally lost his mind because of his crazy, ear-torturing toad. Either way Inuyasha thinks that it would be a gift for him to kill Sesshomaru right now. He would, were he not honourable. He could gain no honour by attacking his older brother with his back turned to him.

Again, Inuyasha jumps into his fighting stance, as Sesshomaru's only hand moves from in front of him, allowing Inuyasha to see it for the first time tonight. Carefully, the demon Lord sets a flower on the ground beside him. Inuyasha doesn't know what to wonder first; why Sesshomaru had a flower or why Sesshomaru was treating it with so much care.

"Here, little brother, for your priestess; she will treasure it more than I." He can almost hear an amused edge bite into the tone of his brother's smooth voice, "No doubt it will only improve your image within the diluted girl's mind."

Inuyasha growls, but says nothing. It _would _make Kagome incredibly happy to receive a gift from him, though he'll never hear the end of it should Shippo witness his gift giving, or Miroku or Sango for that matter. But the flower is from _Sesshomaru_ and Inuyasha is nervous; his brother could have it ready to unleash a mist of poisonous gas, or he could have had a spell cast upon it.

He must stop his musings as Sesshomaru gracefully returns to his feet, and takes a step forward, much to Inuyasha's surprise. And the demon Lord simply floats gracefully into the sky, looking like shining star finally taking his place amongst the heavens. It is only Inuyasha's third time watching his brother fly, and he is enthralled.

When his brother is a speck of light in the sky, Inuyasha can't help his eyes glancing back down to the flower left on the river's bank.

After a moment's contemplating, his ears twitch with annoyance and he stomps over to the flower and he carefully picks it up. He doesn't want to waste its existence by leaving it there; he may as well give it to Kagome. Sesshomaru's right, she will appreciate it.

* * *

**Woffy: **This takes place right at the beginning, before I have Sesshomaru's group tagging along with Inuyasha's. Before Inuyasha knows Rin exists. In my mind, Inuyasha has a crush on Kagome. 

Thanks to _perished love, Severus Snape's Bitch_ and_ Iiol _for the reviews.

_Iiol: _You do realise that Rin's eight at most during the show. She's a child acting like a child. She's not supposed to be overly (or not at least outwardly) intelligent. I think she has innocent views on the world, along with a huge imagination.

Next Theme: _Markings _(I've been waiting for this one!) -_cackles_-


	18. Markings

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **M - Is a precaution.

**Warnings: **Incest, yaoi, OOCness, nudity, slight angst...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**18.** Markings

The half-breed is walking alone, for the first time in a long while. Shippo is riding on Miroku's shoulder, while the monk humours Sango with his own type of prattle. Kagome isn't around to keep Inuyasha company. His golden eyes level a gaze at Sesshomaru, watching as he gently teaches Rin the wonders of being a demon; she seems especially talkative today.

He watches with a dark, raised brow and mirth filled eyes as his brother picks at his clothes, a mildly disgusted look on his face. It seems Sesshomaru is starting to smell and he is in dire need of a bath, or so he says, Inuyasha can't whine either way; he's gone weeks without bathing. Sesshomaru will no doubt search for a clean water source tonight.

Inuyasha wonders if his brother has also heard the loud splattering of a small water fall, one that – judging by its smell – runs into a hot spring. The half-breed expects he has, but is waiting for their group to stop. Inuyasha snorts at the thought; trust his jackass brother to act well mannered around his friends, trust him to try and show him up. He huffs, he doesn't even have Kagome here to chastise him.

Without the company of anyone willing to talk to him (and for him to insult aloud), the rest of the day held a scowling Inuyasha that either 'keh'ed or huffed to every question asked. Sesshomaru seemed to be the only one to notice that his reactions to their probing meant 'leave me the hell alone;' he hadn't bothered to speak to him since early that morning.

The thing that has Inuyasha off balance most is that his behaviour hasn't been punished with now familiar 'sit' command one would have left Inuyasha stuck to the ground, neither happy to be there nor wanting to get up. He'd had enough of everything for the day: of thinking, of his friend's stubbornness and unwillingness to just leave him be and Sesshomaru's presence. The Brat didn't count anywhere, they hardly talked, and when they did it was usually because Sesshomaru wasn't around or because she was finding some new and far more devilish way to torture or embarrass him.

When the group stops, Inuyasha doesn't care if the others laugh, or if his brother thinks he is foolish; he lays down on his stomach and allows his face to rest in the dirt. It isn't the same without the tremendous weight Kagome's 'sit' command pushes onto him, but the position itself comforts Inuyasha. So he stays there, his face resting on the ground and his ears drooping on his head. He wants to sleep; he feels tired and sick. Sesshomaru will look after their group, he can't be bothered. He feels oddly depressed today, like the world had just faded to black and dark greys and would never turn back. Perhaps it's because of the nearing new moon, or Kagome's ability to never return? He knows he is sometimes overly emotional the few days before the moon disappears, though he is usually subjected to easily brought on fits of rage, not depression.

Either way, Inuyasha is comfortable and he is going to sleep. He will feel better after a nap.

"Little brother."

Inuyasha growls an angry groan, "What? Can't a guy wallow in peace?" He asks incredulously, fixing Sesshomaru with a heated glare. The demon Lord in kneeling in front of him and, much to Inuyasha's obvious dislike, he doesn't flinch because of his glare.

"You're acting childishly, Inuyasha, your friends are worried."

Inuyasha snorts, and looks away. He is now sitting with his legs and arms crossed, a sour look on his face. "What do you care?" He asks haughtily.

"I do not." Sesshomaru blinks slowly, flashing Inuyasha more of the pink make-up like stripes covering his brother's eyelids, "I am going to bathe. You will humour Rin, should she want your attention."

"Keh."

Inuyasha watches as Sesshomaru stands and heads towards the setting sun. The half-breed remains where he is, staring after his brother, until he is struck by a sudden curiosity that leaves him itching to follow. It has been a long time since he last thought of his brother's markings - though it had been hard to rid his mind of their presence the first time he'd seen his brother start to strip in front of him - and he is once again wondering how many and where they are.

His eyes flicker over to his friends, they're all setting up a small fire, except for Miroku; the monk is nursing a bruised cheek. With another quick glance, Inuyasha pushes himself from the ground and rushes after Sesshomaru, careful to not alert the cautious demon to his presence. It isn't hard for him to track his brother, his nose doesn't find it at all difficult, just as it always has.

After fifteen minutes, Inuyasha finds himself hiding in a tree down wind of his brother, who is staring at an inviting hot spring. It smells of minerals and salts, yet his brother's scent overrides the spring's. Inuyasha almost feels as though his stomach is filled with insects; he will finally discover how many sets of markings his brother has, he will finally be able to see Sesshomaru. All of him.

Suddenly Inuyasha feels that his limbs have gone numb.

Inuyasha doesn't have to wait long before Sesshomaru quickly and messily ties his hair back, so that the silvery cobwebs are once again tickling his elegant neck, held up with a dark, leather tie. Inuyasha leans forward in anticipation, his feet hooked around the tree's trunk as Sesshomaru's only hand reaches for the his pelt and tugs it off, laying it to rest by the pool's edge. Next the hand plucks at the ties to his armour, before that too drops from Sesshomaru's body. Inuyasha can't help but lick his lips, watching Sesshomaru untie his obi, before doing so again. To Inuyasha, it is as though he is seeing his first cup of ramen in days, just made and being opened by a fuming Kagome.

Why doesn't his brother hurry? He wonders; Sesshomaru had seemed so displeased with his own odour, Inuyasha expected that he'd be in the water before he had managed to catch up. But his brother wasn't and Inuyasha can't criticise his brother's behaviour, not as he shed his kimono from his pale body, slowly, like a child carefully pulling the wrapping off a delicate gift. Inuyasha starts his counting distractedly, managing to lose count twice before he managed to acknowledge and give each of the five sets of stripes a number.

The ones that teasingly frame Sesshomaru's hips, each stripe starting as a blunt edge before it traces the junction of where his thighs met his abdomen, dipping down from the Lord's stomach stopping somewhere under his hakama. Inuyasha imagines they'd go to a point, much like his other markings – it is unfortunate that Sesshomaru's back is turned towards him and he can't make sure.

As Sesshomaru's hakama falls from his hips and is kicked off with care, Inuyasha's mouth begins to feel dry and gummi, and he runs his tongue along his lips again. His brother's ankles brandish another set of magenta stripes. That is six sets of markings, and Inuyasha is keen to find more.

He doesn't get to admire them for long; Sesshomaru is soon stepping into the steaming hot spring he's been staring at for the past five minutes. For a moment, Inuyasha examines his brother, eyeing the evidently strong, yet elegant and pale body with something close to awe, though there is a bitter tang within his stare. Sesshomaru is perfect – Except for the stubby inch or so remaining from his left arm.

The half-breed feels a wave of accomplishment overcome his staring and his lips quirk into a smirk as he continues to eye the appendage. _He _was the one that marred his brother's complete perfection; _he _was the one that finally made a dent in Sesshomaru's elegance, for there was nothing elegant about a missing arm. It was small compared to the rest of Sesshomaru, but Inuyasha can't help but feel proud of himself; it only proved he can win against his brother and that he is worthy of Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha finds himself setting goals to accomplish as he stays at Sesshomaru's home: a large estate filled with servants and housing more than ten of Sesshomaru's most important officials. The half-breed will see his brother like this again, even if he must find an unbreakable binding spell and undress the Lord himself.

There is a sudden squawk from Inuyasha's right as a protective mother bird finds that Inuyasha has his right foot less than an inch away from kicking her nest from its branch. He is sure Sesshomaru can see him through the thick nest of leaves and branches he's kept himself hidden in as the demon Lord turns to glare in his direction. He immediately rushes away, cursing the bird and his own stupidity as he does.

Sesshomaru has six sets of markings and Inuyasha still wants to find more. He smirks, he wouldn't be able to do this if Kagome were around; he'd have felt too guilty, as though he were toying with her fragile emotions. It is the first time he has celebrated her inability to return to this era.

* * *

**Woffy:** I've had this idea stuck in my head since I first started this series. Hm... It could have been better, but I've got a small dose of writer's block. -_shakes fist angrily_- Oh, and I once again show how short Inuaysha's attention span is. -_sweatdrop_- 

Oh, and the markings on Sesshomaru's cheeks are counted as two sets of stripes.

Thank you to _perishedlove, Himura01, Jester08_ and _Severus Snape's Bitch_ for your feedback. 'Tis appreciated. And thank you to everyone who's reading this or read this!

Next theme:_ Heir_


	19. Heir

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **T

**Warnings: **Incest, yaoi, OOCness, _angst_, swearing...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**19.** Heir

"But sire, you are in need of an heir if you wish for your branch of the family to remain as the future rulers of the West. Your cousin, Teijo, isn't being at all shy about his will to be the next ruler. He is starting to claim that my Lord is sterile."

Sesshomaru sends a long, intense, frostbitten stare towards his advisor, for mentioning his family, for mentioning his cousin's opinions, for worrying, for _living_. He is tired of hearing about this subject; he knows he must have an heir, he knows all about every rule the coucil has created. But he has a mate, and his said mate is far too protective to allow him to sleep with another. Sesshomaru doesn't wish to share a bed, even for one night, with a willing demoness, but he will bend to the council's whims because he knows and acknowledges that he must. Inuyasha, however, will not.

"I will not speak with you on this matter, Kazuo, when this Sesshomaru has already given you his answer. Now," Sesshomaru's striding doesn't cease, but he speeds up as he nears his and Inuyasha's quarters, "Leave me be. I must speak with my mate."

The advisor halts and bows before turning and walking in the direction opposite Sesshomaru. The demon Lord hears an exasperated sigh, but pays it no mind; his advisors shouldn't worry over matters he is taking charge of.

Sesshomaru isn't at all surprised to find that Inuyasha is tormenting an aging Jaken mercilessly as he enters their bed chambers; he seems quite happy flicking the toad's forehead, sending him across the floor and making him squawk irritably. With a stare and a monotonously delivered order, Jaken leaves the room, sulking and nursing his bruising forehead. He has become much moodier since Rin's passing and seems content to treat Inuyasha as he had Sesshomaru's human daughter. Unfortunately, the half-breed will not stand for being treated like an inferior imbecile, unfortunately he is unlike Rin in many ways.

Inuyasha watches him carefully, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Sesshomaru wastes no time with the pleasantries of 'hellos' or 'how are yous' and cuts Inuyasha off before the half-breed is able to utter a sound, "You're stubbornness is destroying my reputation and is causing the council to have second thoughts on my ability to rule, Inuyasha." His mate is put off, Sesshomaru is sure of that from the expression on his face: the way his brows furrow and his mouth slants into a frown. The half-breed's mouth opens again and he once again attempts to speak, "Enough. You will not change my mind. You will allow me to bed the woman the council has chosen without interruption. Seeding an heir will only take one night, two to be sure. I'm sure you can control yourself for that long."

By the time Sesshomaru's instructions are complete he is kneeling in front of Inuyasha, his hand bracing the under side of the half-breed's jaw, tilting Inuyasha's head up so the fiery, rebellious eyes his brother owns are forced to look into his own icy ones. Their faces are not even an inch apart and Sesshomaru finds that he must force the urge to press his lips against his mate's away.

"I don't share."

Sesshomaru growls lowly at Inuyasha's answer and the look of arrogance that is usually only present on his own face, "You have no choice, half-breed. My status as Lord puts me far above you, despite our sharing of Father's blood; I can have you thrown from my lands with a single command. I am able to have you sealed to a tree like your damned priestess had you!"

Inuyasha expression crumbles for only a moment, allowing Sesshomaru to see just how angry his words have made him. But Inuyasha returns to being smug, a small smirk gracing his lips as Sesshomaru feels his mate's hands grasp onto his hips and tug him forward. Inuyasha is incredibly lucky the Lord had opted to not wear his armour that morning; he would have had spikes bedded within his chest had he worn it.

Inuyasha's actions have Sesshomaru surprised; he has never encountered anyone that would _not _follow his orders and would instead tease him as Inuyasha does now. The half breed has taken to cradling Sesshomaru, as though he were nothing but a pup in need of comfort, in his lap. He has his right arm wrapped around the Lord's shoulders, the other laying contently on his abdomen, fingers twitching and sliding over his silk kimono. The half-breed's face bears an amused expression.

It infuriates Sesshomaru.

The demon Lord releases a deep, warning growl and he doesn't hesitate to capture the hand reaching for his left cheek, "Enough. You will stop."

But the half-breed doesn't and once again, Sesshomaru finds himself cursing his lack of a limb as Inuyasha's right hand brushes against the magenta stripes on his right cheek. His breath catches in his throat, his head tilts back and strains towards his mate's hand, his muscles slacken. Sesshomaru can feel his skin heat almost unbearably. How humiliating, his own body will not obey his commands…

"I won't share you with a woman of any sort, for any reason. You're _my_ mate, despite our lack of a mating mark." Sesshomaru's eyes are clenched shut as he attempts to regulate his breathing to its usual calm manner, despite the swipe of claws against his cheek every few seconds. He hears and feels Inuyasha chuckle as it reverberates around the half-breed's chest, "You'll live longer than me, you can sleep with who ever you want then."

"You will allow me to do so now." Sesshomaru orders shakily. He gasps again as Inuyasha's claws slide over the magenta stripes on his wrist, before the hand moves to intertwine their fingers lovingly.

Sesshomaru _will not _contemplate giving in and allowing the slowly questing lips kissing and sliding along his throat, then his jaw, force him into submission. Instead, as Inuyasha's lips fit snugly over his own, he forces poison into his claws, causing his hand to glow a florescent green. Inuyasha has him thrown from his lap immediately.

"What the fuck?" The half-breed curses, cradling his now burnt hand. Sesshomaru eyes it critically, thinking little of the wounds he can see there; they could have been a lot worse, they will heal quickly. "What the fuck was that for? Is that what I get for caring about my mate?" Inuyasha is outright yelling as he moves into a crouch, his eyes narrowed as he glares at Sesshomaru, who is also crouching, his knees resting lightly on the ground. They are both wary of an attack; they both know they have dangerous tempers.

The demon Lord doesn't blink, he won't, as they start a battle between them with their eyes. It is a common occurance, especially over the past few months, when the topic of an heir bloomed between them. "You will not cause this Sesshomaru to be seen as a joke! The council wish for me to produce an heir, and you will not interfere; they are beginning to think me incapable!"

"Fuck the council! You've never cared about the opinions of others; You've a half-breed as a brother and now, as a mate! You're mine! And I'm not going to let some demon _bitch_ sleep with you just so you can keep your fucking reputation in tact!"

"It is my reputation, I hold dearest, mate! It has been the only constant within my life and I will have it stay that for a few more centuries to come!"

Slowly, surprisingly, Sesshomaru finds that Inuyasha's ears droop as though he is extremely miserable. Sesshomaru hasn't seen him like this since the day the human preistess in the strange kimono left this world. His voice is quiet when the Inuyasha finally speaks, "You threw your reputation out the window for Rin, when you adopted her as your charge. Why the hell can't you do the same for me? I'm your mate."

The demon finds he doesn't have an immediate answer, and that he must remain silent for a few minutes in order to gather and sort through his thoughts. He knows what his mate is talking about; he understands perfectly that his brother should be jealous of his acceptance of Rin, the human girl that was the first creature to not be afraid of him. Even Inuyasha was shaky when he first met him. But they will never be the same, Sesshomaru can never consider them in the same way; Inuyasha is the half-breed who's birth and mother caused his Father's most dispicable death, he cannot forget that. And Sesshomaru has always found it hard to forgive.

Carefully, he pieces together a reply, one he is sure Inuyasha will not like, "You are male and I require an heir. That is something you cannot provide for me in the slightest, Inuyasha, no matter how stubborn you remain or how much you will yourself to help."

The room, for the first time in a while, is silent, uncomfortably so. It is the kind of oppressive silence Sesshomaru usually basks in as a newly hired servant or a new young Lord meets him, but he doesn't appreciate its manifesting while he is in the presence of his mate, or the fact that it is making _him_ feel strange. Sesshomaru knows the news is tearing at Inuyasha; he is far too human for his own good. He does not understand that seeding a child, an heir, is all apart of his duty as Lord of the Western Plains.

Sesshomaru eyes his brother's grey bangs, stained so because of his bathing habits earlier in his life. His personal hygiene has improved, the demon Lord is glad to acknowledge, but he curses their ability to seal Inuyasha's eyes from his own. He needs to know exactly what his mate is feeling; Inuyasha's eyes have always been full of too many emotions, like overfilled sake cups just waiting to spilt when knocked or touched the wrong way.

"Do you feel the need to seed a child, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha's tone is dead, as though he has given up and Sesshomaru finds that he doesn't like it one bit. He has never heard his brother's voice so devoid of emotion and will. He once again curses his brother's bangs, the half-breed is still staring at the floor.

"I do." He replies cautiously, levelly.

Inuyasha turns, so he is facing away from his mate, then raises his head, "Then I can't stick around. Send the toad once the kid's born, I'd like to meet my niece or nephew at least once in my life." He strides, much like the he himself does, Sesshomaru realises idly, over to the window before he hops onto its sill. Inuyasha's tone is bitter as he turns to glance at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru knows there is a deep, burning hatred within those golden eyes; it is the only emotion he has ever been able to name easily, without thought.

"See you later, you bastard."

The demon Lord doesn't reply, he doesn't move, he doesn't hear, he doesn't feel and he is sure he doesn't breathe for sometime as Inuyasha leaps from the window and bounds away, out of his home's large gates, into the forest and further. His mate has left him and Sesshomaru feels numb; he never thought Inuyasha would run from a problem, run from him.

He doesn't know whether he is glad that the half-breed is gone, or whether it is his ignored heart aching so unbearably for his half-breed, ignorant, annoying, heathen for a half-brother and mate to return. However, he is sure he is also feeling hatred towards Inuyasha, just as the half-breed is feeling towards him. He hates him for causing such confusion in him, for invoking such a potent and painful reaction, for thinking he will change when he has - for so long, for all of Inuyasha's life - been cold and unmoving when it came to his brother.

Idly, once he is capable of moving - even as slow and distantly as he is, his mind hidden within itself as he muses and remembers and curses - he thinks he ought to call his future son Inuyasha; he is proving to be as troublesome as his uncle is.

* * *

**Woffy:** ... I feel for them both, for different and identical reasons. Again, as I said a few chapters ago, Sesshomaru is a bastard. 

Thank you for the reviews _Adela Nightmoon, I'm Nova, HPTR Fangirl, Zed-Azrael, Severus Snape's Bitch_ and _perishedlove_. Sorry for not answering any of your reviews, I'm afraid I made myself depressing and sarcastic while writing this chapter... -_sweatdrop_-

Next Theme: _Last_


	20. Last

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **G

**Warnings: **Incest, yaoi, OOCness.

* * *

**Waning Moon  
**

**20.** Last

The winds caressing his warm skin is cool and soothing, while the morning sun is warm, and Sesshomaru can't help but admire the beginnings of a good day, despite his mate having to disappear for a time. He knows Inuyasha will be careful, that he will return and that there isn't any need to be doubting of his loyalty; he is kind hearted beneath his roughened exterior.

Idly, he watches a rabbit, cautious and with its nose twitching, as it appears from inside the forest within his garden. The demon Lord of the West is feeling content.

Sesshomaru is remembering the times when he taught Inuyasha how to hunt and how to survive alone in the wilderness, without his older brother's protection. He smiles a tiny smile, a mere quirk of the corners of his lips; the fumbling puppy Inuyasha once was, is nothing compared to the ignorant, careless and all round heathen his brother is now. But he supposes it is his fault that he must put up with his swearing and his smell and his ignorance and utter lack of respect for the rules, most days. Sesshomaru didn't and doesn't have to agree to be mates with Inuyasha, nor allow him to reside within his home.

He hears the crackling of dried leaves crushing as Inuyasha appears behind him, heading towards him with a large smirk on his face. He seems amused by the fact that Sesshomaru has come to see him off. They'd had a small talk the night before that had pointed more to Sesshomaru leaving his mate to his own devices. But Sesshomaru is standing under a tall sakura tree, looking elegant and poised and - he wonders briefly if Inuyasha has noticed the trinket around his wrist.

"Should I feel honoured?" Inuyasha ignores the still cold look in Sesshomaru's eyes, and the stiffness his body holds as it remains straight, upright and resistant, as Inuyasha wraps his arms around Sesshomaru's torso, pressing his own chest to the Lord's snuggly.

The demon Lord thinks it is time to start educating his mate in the ways of noble relationships: No physical contact of any sort outside of their rooms. The thought is only strengthened when Inuyasha tilts his head and stands on the tips of his toes, drawing his lips much closer to Sesshomaru's, unable to do more than wait for Sesshomaru to bend and press their lips together.

Sesshomaru doesn't move, as he watches with amusement. No doubt Inuyasha will grow to be as tall as their father, but Sesshomaru doubt's his mate will ever grow taller than him. His amber eyes flicker to Inuyasha's lips, "We should not do this outside of our quarters, Inuyasha. It is not proper."

"Shut up." His mate's right hand is then wrapped around the back of Sesshomaru's neck and his head is pulled down. Sesshomaru sighs the moment after their lips meet, his body slackening against Inuyasha as his hand holds his mate's back lightly.

Their kiss is nothing special. Just their lips pressed together, no tongue, no moaning, no torturing or body pressing as Sesshomaru knows Inuyasha likes. He is thankful that Inuyasha will at least respect that. He will settle for this compromise.

It is a moment more until Inuyasha decides he should pull away and release the Lord's pale neck. He is looking pleased with himself as he grins cheekily up at Sesshomaru, while Sesshomaru stares evenly back.

"You will return shortly."

Inuyasha huffs throwing his hair back over his shoulders, "Of course. I'm just making sure Miroku and Sango don't get themselves killed. You know how protective father's to be are."

"Give the huntress my best wishes, for a healthy child and a safe birth."

Inuyasha nods his head and flicks his right wrist a few times as he moves around Sesshomaru and heads towards the most northern wall, "Yeah, yeah, I know." He pauses and looks over his shoulder, "Don't go getting all human on me, Sesshomaru." He smirks before he starts his run towards the wall, calling out, "I'll see you in a few days!"

Sesshomaru watches as his mate practically hops onto the wall and bounds out of his sight. He watches after him, feeling Inuyasha's energy lessen with every large bound he takes. It isn't long before Sesshomaru cannot feel his brother at all.

He turns, his hair fluttering in the light breeze that causes the silken strands to flow like water around him. Sesshomaru lifts his hand to push wisps of hair back behind his pointed right ear. He hears a girlish, happy giggle, one he recognises instantly as Rin's. Sesshomaru heads to the bushes nearest his garden's small well.

He is greeted with the sight of a collapsed Jaken and an amused and giggling human girl. Rin stares up at him, her chocolate brown eyes wide and glimmering brightly, cheerfully, "Lord Sesshomaru, I think Master Jaken can't believe you and Inuyasha are lovers." The girl giggles some more, her petite hand covering her infectious smile.

Sesshomaru's lips twitch, "Rin, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to say goodbye to Inuyasha. Master Jaken didn't trust me to not injure myself, so he followed me. We saw you two kiss and he collapsed." To strengthen her point, Rin pats the still unconscious Jaken's head, before she straightens his hat, only to have it slide from his head again. She giggles some more.

The demon Lord nods. He then starts to walk lazily back into his home. "Fetch Kazuo should he remain this way, Rin. Check on him every hour." He decides quickly, that he will not allow Inuyasha to do that again, even if he must risk the half-breed's wrath before hand, within the sturdy and sound-proof walls of their quarters. Sesshomaru will just have to learn how to calm his body quickly once Inuyasha has ravished his lips or other parts of him, before he sets out on his journeys.

This is their last kiss within an outsider's sight.

* * *

**Woffy:** A change of atmosphere from my last chapter (Which I admit was depressing). Jaken's so amusing. -_sigh_- I'm going to go watch the third movie again. 

Thank you to _C-Loke, I'm Nova, b121,_ _Anon, perishedlove,_ _HPTR fangirl, __Jester08 _and_ Severus Snape's Bitch _for your reviews.

There's no need to worry yet, this isn't the last chapter. Everyone will know when the last chapter's upon us. -_stares at themes_- It isn't too far away...

Next Theme: _Artwork_


	21. Artwork

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi...

**Rating: **T

**Warnings: **Incest, yaoi, OOCness, suggestive things...

* * *

**Waning Moon  
**

**21.** Artwork

Inuyasha has heard of art. He hasn't had much first hand experience with it; it isn't like there are many people carrying priceless or at least showing off pieces that are worth looking at. He can only really recall one painting, but that was so long ago, he can barely remember it.

Most are messy, done with little skill and even less patience, or so Miroku has claimed. Artwork, his friend had explained, was something that was extremely beautiful, something that was what it was and worth even more because a person's first glance wasn't enough. A work of art, had a person coming back again and again, just to admire it, or to try decipher it, or to just touch it. That had been when Sango had slapped him.

His friend's description of art runs through his head as he traces a bare, pale, smooth shoulder with the tips of his fingers. His claws gently catching the wispy cobwebs hanging from his mate's head messily, each strand splayed across the pillow he has his head rested on or Inuyasha's chest. Inuyasha gingerly brushes them back over Sesshomaru's shoulder, a smile on his face at his brother's content expression.

It has truly been a magical couple of months if Inuyasha is to be gushy about it. But if he is not he thinks it has been fun to root his brother in most of his home, at any time of the day or night. Inuyasha must admit that it has been fun pulling Sesshomaru into abandoned (or at least empty) rooms and dragging him - all the while forcing the Lord to forget or ignore whatever thing he had planned or was supposed to be dealing with - off to the demon Lord's quarters with a lecherous grin. He hopes their activities will continue for a long while.

Inuyasha's hopes only grow stronger as he watches his brother's back rise and fall as his chest expands and deflates steadily, feeling the smooth muscles heat and rub against the skin on his stomach, from where he lays draped across Inuyasha. The half-breed swipes a thumb across Sesshomaru's forehead, over the moon marking, and feels pride well inside him at the shudder that wracks through Sesshomaru's being.

Surprisingly, Sesshomaru is a heavy sleeper, once he is content and secure within his surroundings. It seems to be the only time the Lord is completely ignorant of his surroundings. Inuyasha has been able to rearrange his brother's limbs and position so he is lying in his arms, his chin resting (almost) painfully on his sternum. He can feel his brother's breathe, warm and steadily over his face, neck and chin, depending on how he has his head turned.

Inuyasha has learnt that his brother's markings are sensitive to body warmth and skin-to-skin contact. It is the reason why his brother's kimono doesn't irritate the stripes decorating Sesshomaru's hips, ankles or wrists. It is the reason Inuyasha doesn't force Sesshomaru's head to rest with his cheek against his chest, thus _not _hurting the half-breed.

Each marking highlights a defined cheek bone covered in smooth skin that's warm to touch. He critically examines them, finding that Sesshomaru's upper right marking is slightly longer than the left one. His brother's nose is even, well placed and elegant, just as the dark eyebrows, now relaxed and resting above the Lord's pink marked eyes, are. The blue crescent moon on Sesshomaru's forehead holds Inuyasha's interest the most though; it is rare to find a demon with markings that purposely _looks _like something.

Once again, Inuyasha eyes the platinum white, strewn about hair laying over them both. Then the half-breed's amber eyes follow the curve of Sesshomaru's thin neck, then his strong back, before his right hand decides to follow their path. Sesshomaru really does have soft skin; Inuyasha had never thought a man could have skin like his brother does: pale like moonlight, smooth like a calm lake, warm like a candle alight.

As Inuyasha's eyes focus on his brother's left shoulder, he admits silently that he doesn't feel at all sorry for cutting off Sesshomaru's arm; the bastard _had _been attacking him! It had been fight or die and Inuyasha doesn't think Sesshomaru could fairly blame him for decapitating his left arm. It could have been worse. The ass was alive wasn't he?

Slowly, Inuyasha tickles his claws along the flat plain of skin at the base of the stump left on Sesshomaru's left shoulder. Even with it gone, Sesshomaru creates a unique perfection out of his flaws. The ass, bastard... Show off.

Inuyasha smirks, his eyes now on the talons connected to Sesshomaru's feminine fingers, that are joined to an equally feminine hand. If it weren't as large as it is, Inuyasha would have sworn it had been ripped from a woman and then attached to Sesshomaru's magenta striped wrist. Idly, the half-breed taps his own claws on his brother's listening carefully to the small 'tick-tick-tick' the action causes.

The half-breed worms the fingers of his left hand under Sesshomaru's, tenderly stroking the slightly calloused skin of the demon's palm and finger pads. If Inuyasha imagines hard enough, it will seem like they are holding hands.

After a moment, Inuyasha's fingers leave his brothers and once again he is examining his brother's torso. His eyes glow mischievously as he eyes the barely visible stripe on Sesshomaru's right hip, half hidden by the thin blankets Sesshomaru kept on his futon and that are gathered around their waists.

Cheekily he grins; his right hand comes to life, sliding sensually down to the small of his brother's back, slowly, ever so slowly, sliding lower and lower…

"Do not dare to mimic the monk."

Inuyasha's eyes are instantly on his brother's own, amused to find the demon Lord watching him from behind half closed lids. He looks calm, relaxed, rested. He looks thoroughly ravished, his usually perfectly kept hair hanging messily around his shoulders as he shifts his head and pushes a few stray strands behind his ear before he settles his chin against his forearm which is laying on Inuyasha's chest. Inuyasha doesn't think his brother has looked more beautiful than he does now, and that realisation doesn't help relieve the discomfort he has caused to originate from his nether regions. If anything, it helps it grow.

He smirks, his arm wrapping around Sesshomaru to pull him up, so they are laying lips to lips, for a slow kiss. As his brother moans lowly, and Inuyasha's left thumb drags over the marking framing Sesshomaru's hip, his right hand resumes its quest.

Inuyasha grins as his brother jerks back and glares down at him as he gives his brother's lovely round rump a tight, playful squeeze.

Yes, his brother is most definitely a work of art.

* * *

**Woffy: **My darling brother was the inspiration for this; he's a little moron who likes insulting Sesshomaru. I just wanted to shit him and write about all Sesshomaru's physical good points. -_grin_- 

Thanks for the reviews _perishedlove _and _HPTR Fangirl_!

I was going to wait until tomorrow to update, but I realised I have quite a bit of homework, and thought better of it.

Next Theme: _Clouds_


	22. Clouds

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **G

**Warnings: **OOCness

* * *

**Waning Moon  
**

**22. **Clouds

Inuyasha coos and awes as his large, sunny eyes blink up at the slowly clouding sky. His mother has just gone inside, warning him about the chance of rain and to run inside should it start doing so. She doesn't want him sick and Inuyasha finds he doesn't want to be either; he doesn't like that 'liver' garbage his mother gives him when he feels ill; it tastes disgusting!

He flops back onto the grass, his petite feet swinging left and right rhythmically as he watches the clouds morph and float and – Hey! That's a falcon! He giggles as his imagination, so young and willing to be used has him reciting a story in which only he knows the plot to.

He giggles some more when the cloud he'd been using as the main character in his story smashes into the grey fluff in front of it, "BOOM! And the dragon is dead! The magical falcon has saved the people of Kanahura, again!" Inuyasha claps his hands and cheers, his baby face covered in a huge, toothy grin.

His cheering is interupted when he has a long, dark shadow cast over him, and Inuyasha is instantly staring up at his brother. Sesshomaru doesn't look impressed at his antics, Inuyasha realises, but he can't help but giggle at the way his view of Sesshomaru has caused his frown to look like a ridiculous sort of smile; his mother is right, the world is much more amusing when one is upside down.

"Little brother, what are you doing? Why do you still insist on acting like an idiot?"

Inuyasha blinks adorably up at Sesshomaru, before he rolls onto his stomach and practically bounces to his feet, "Inuyasha is reading the clouds, Sessho!" He exclaims loudly, his tiny, claw bearing finger pointed up towards the sky.

His brother levels an emotionless stare down on him.

The small half breed blinks again and looks confused for a moment. "Er," He starts, slowly walking up to Sesshomaru and tugging on his sleeve. His brother humours him and sits down, allowing the young half demon to whisper into his pointed ear, "You haven't done this before, have you?"

Yet again, Sesshomaru doesn't respond. He simply stares. Inuyasha smiles kindly, his head tilted back slightly to look up into his brother's eyes, "Do you want me to teach you?" He asks in a slightly louder voice.

Inuyasha doesn't take Sesshomaru's silence for a no and sits down and begins pointed towards the heavens and the moving smudges in the sky, "Does Sessho see that cloud over there?" He asks, in an all knowing voice only eight year olds can pull off without sounding stuck up. Sesshomaru tilts his head up to look, "It looks like a lady bug, and can Sessho see how she's creeping towards that other buggy? She doesn't want him to hurt her little sister! See!"

Sesshomaru blinks slowly, and Inuyasha is sure he gets it; Sesshomaru is smart, he is older and wiser and – there is no way his big brother doesn't get how this game goes! Inuyasha, with that firmly in mind continues to point and tell stories.

The small one way conversation continues for sometime, until Sesshomaru is actually speaking and telling Inuyasha stories when his brother's mouth actually stops to allow him to breathe.

They are both participating in a small argument a few moments later.

"That's a tiger!" Inuyasha exclaims, his arms thrown into the air.

Sesshomaru's response is monotonous, "It is a dog."

"No, it's not!"

"It is."

"Is not!"

"It is."

"It's a tiger! Look, see? He's attacking that man!"

And indeed there is: A man with a spear like weapon and no left arm. Sesshomaru remains silent for some time and the lack of a remark causes Inuyasha to look up at his brother, his hands slowly lowering themselves to the ground beside him.

He can feel that he's said something wrong. He can feel that Sesshomaru is sad, "Did Inuyasha make you feel unhappy, Sessho?"

The demon glances down at Inuyasha and the half breed is insanely happy to see his brother isn't crying – not that he'd think he is! Inuyasha knows boys don't cry, so why would Sesshomaru?

"Has your mother told you how our father past away, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha solemnly shakes his head, "Was Mama supposed to?"

"Perhaps." Sesshomaru replies. They are silent for a minute, before Sesshomaru moves to stand, "I must go."

Inuyasha nods, "Bye, bye, Sessho."

He can't stop the hope that bubbles in him as he smiles and waves, the hope that Sesshomaru will join him in watching the clouds again. Hopefully sometime soon.

That is when he feels the first rain drop fall from the sky and land on his nose and Inuyasha's golden eyes cross as he examines the now shattered drop, and he is quick to scamper back home. He doesn't tell his mother of Sesshomaru's appearance, though he does ask how his Papa died.

He doesn't receive an answer.

* * *

**Woffy: **Bah humbug. Stupid school work. I find it easier to write when I don't have to study. -_continues to mumble_- BTW: The man Inuyasha saw, the one with a spear and no left arm is Takemaru (I think that's his name). He's from the third movie and is the one the InuPapa died fighting. 

Thank you to _Hiruma01, perishedlove, I'm Nova, HPTR Fangirl _and _Priestess Reiko_ for your reviews!

_HPTR Fangirl: _THANK YOU! You know that warning was completely lost on me; I had a huge mental blank. -_sweatdrop-_

Next Theme: _Evil_


	23. Evil

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **T

**Warnings: **OOCness, angst, swearing.

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**23.** Evil

"Sesshomaru!"

The demon Lord doesn't hesitate to turn his head slightly to the left, so that Inuyasha is just within his feild of vision, and watch with little care as a now forty-five year old Inuyasha bound across his home's fields, trampling the saplings barely free to the sun. Inuyasha now looks thirteen and his mother is nearing death; she is nearing seventy, which Sesshomaru finds astonishing in itelf; humans rarely live to be sixty. Sesshomaru's countenance does not falter, even with his latest decision returns to his mind, temporarily lost as his brother comes to a halt in front of him.

"What are you doing around here? Didn't you have to beat the shit out of some crazed demon terrorizing your lands?" Inuyasha asks, his arms crossing over his skinny chest. His brother is decked in a red fire rat kimono, designed and made by the human woman now laying sick in bed. He has two sets, if the slightly newer smell of this one is anything to go by. Sesshomaru is glad; he won't have his brother living in one kimono.

Sesshomaru doesn't comment on his brother's language, no matter how much he disapproves of it. He never has, and he will not need to listen to it for much longer. "I have completed that task." Inuyasha looks impressed, his still large eyes widening slightly, before they begin to glow with pride.

Sesshomaru doesn't understand why Inuyasha feels proud as he does; Inuyasha hadn't trained him, just as he wasn't an older family member who could bask in his accomplishments as things to compliment the role he has played in bringing the demon Lord up. The half-breed is still very much a mystery to him. Or perhaps it is the human in him; Sesshomaru finds that demons are easier to understand.

He dutifully ignores the affection shining in his brother's golden gaze.

"Really? So you decided to visit your younger brother because you have some spare time?" Inuyasha grins, "Thank the gods! You wouldn't believe what Aikoko has me doing! Or how little she has doing! She won't let me handle anything my mother would have, were she healthy. It's been so boring lately!"

Sesshomaru watches, more than listens, as his brother begins a loud rant about how his mother's servants have been treating him like an immature child and how he isn't allowed to train or practice any fighting with any of the other villagers ("Even the ones that are supposed to be strong, like the hunters! Mother says it's because they're afraid of me."). It is vaguely surprising for the demon to find that Inuyasha's very animated hands remind him of his father's almost instantly. How can one learn the habits of a deceased father? Sesshomaru wonders as he sees that there is something else that reminds Sesshomaru of his father: the way in which the half-breed's face is open, showing Sesshomaru just how glad he is to see him. Their father had always possessed an emotive face.

Sesshomaru almost feels sorry for having to do as he plans to his little brother, but he must. He had promised himself he would upon hearing about his father's demise: he will not forgive his half-breed, foul-mouthed, half-brother. Sesshomaru does not break any of his promises, whether they are to himself or a lowly human.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru watches coldly as his brother turns to stare up at him, ears perked on top of his head, his expression of happiness turning to one of confusion at the Lord's too serious expression. His hands fall limply to his sides mid sentence, "I will no longer be visiting you. You will no longer call me 'Sessho' or any other disgraceful name you've given me through time."

Inuyasha's eyes are large, very large; they are almost double their original size as his brother's icy tone freezes him to the spot. Sesshomaru continues, his tone almost bitter, "My name is Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Plains. When we next meet, half-breed, you will die."

Sesshomaru's amber eyes scan Inuyasha's form. The half-breed is shaking, from confusion and from fear. The realisation that Inuyasha is afraid of him makes a sadistic sort of gladness bleed from Sesshomaru's chest until it is dwelling in every part of him, even his figners and toes. This would not be as effective, should Inuyasha have been immune to his intimating tone or his expressions.

The demon Lord thinks it is befitting; Inuyasha should feel the fear he'd felt when he'd discovered his father was dead. He should feel the fear and the nerves he had and does feel because he was given his title long before he should have. His father had given him a long-winded lecture on the time he would take his job from him. Sesshomaru hasn't forgotten it, and he won't. He was a mere pup when he received the Western Lands, only slightly older than his brother is now. He has endured many lectures of passing his title to a more _mature_, a more experienced family member. Sesshomaru has not made any huge mistakes when it comes to his Lands and he doesn't plan to allow Inuyasha - his father's biggest mistake - to live in his lands.

Inuyasha's eyes blink, once, twice, "You'll really kill me?" He asks shakily. Sesshomaru sees his hands twitch, before they're clenched by his sides, "Why?"

"Surely your pathetic human mother told you of our father's miserable death; you are the reason for it. I, Sesshomaru, claim your life to do with as I will. Only I will kill you, half-breed, if you allow anyone else to do so, I will personally see them killed before I deal with you."

Sesshomaru turns, unable to stand the sight of his too weak, too ignorant, too human half-brother. He will return and then Inuyasha will die. He will no longer need to worry about what damage Inuyasha is causing, what disgrace he is bringing upon their family.

He hears Inuyasha call out to him, "Why now? Why didn't you kill me off when I was a kid?"

"There is no honour in killing a child. You are now capable of protecting yourself, I have seen to that." Sesshomaru's strides stop as he reaches the forest, "Train, half-breed, perhaps then you will last more than five minutes in a battle against this Sesshomaru."

He hears an angry growl come from Inuyasha as he once again starts his lazy strides towards the green forest, "You bastard! Don't walk away! You haven't answered anything! Fuck! What am I supposed to do without you; you've always been there?"

He can smell salty tears in the air as he disappears into the forest and Sesshomaru feels nothing. He doesn't feel smug for making his brother cry, the brother who had spent many afternoons curled up against him after a long day's training and stubbornly sniffled and held his tears back every other time he felt his eyes sting hotly.

Sesshomaru remembers refusing to promise to always be there for his little brother.

"Mama says that not all demons are evil." He remembers a much younger Inuyasha explain to him, "She says that they have things they must do just as humans do. She says that not all demons will kill for the sake of killing."

He doesn't bother attempting to work out the inner workings of a human's mind, but he knows of what the human woman speaks. Sesshomaru must rid himself of the burden his brother creates, he must rid the world of his father's disgrace. He must kill Inuyasha if he is to be in the possession of the Tesseiga.

His brother is a nuisance. The world will not miss him.

* * *

**Woffy: **So what does this one-shot have to do with evil? Well according to my dictionary to do something evil is to do something wicked. And to do something wicked is to do something morally wrong. I think abandoning your brother and pledging to kill him fits into that description. -_nods_- 

Okay, I have a request to the people who read this: Review please. I just wanna know who you are! There are only two more chapters left of this series. Two! So review, let me know who you are, either this chapter, the next or on the last one!

Now to the people who have reviewed: _Jester08, HPTR Fangirl,__perishedlove _and_ Severus Snape's Bitch_ your reviews are appreciated!

Next Theme: _Bath_


	24. Bath

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **T

**Warnings: **OOCness, nudity...

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**24.** Bath

The sun is shining, though the sky is mostly grey and speckled with blue. Inuyasha is patiently waiting for Sesshomaru to return from where ever he'd decided to go when he wasn't visiting Inuyasha; he'd said he would three weeks from three weeks ago and Inuyasha has counted down the minutes until his older brother's return. He should be there in only a few more.

It has been raining, though Inuyasha is glad that it has stopped. But the ground is drenched and Inuyasha's bare feet are muddy, now caked in dark brown mud. He cautiously hopes that there isn't anything else mixed in with the dirt, despite his mother's claims that animal poop is good for the skin.

He allows his feet to swing, back and forth, back and forth and thud dully as he sits on a large, moist log and clasps his reddish purple ball to his skinny chest. His mother had given it to him for his eighth birthday and Inuyasha has yet to grow tired of it.

White, fur covered ears perk when he hears ragged breathing and Inuyasha jumps up and around, to find Sesshomaru limping into the clearing.

His already large golden eyes widen further, "Sessho?" Inuyasha asks worry making his voice sound strained; this can't be his brother, Sesshomaru is invincible! "Is Sessho alright?"

He doesn't receive a reply as Sesshomaru stumbles and Inuyasha quickly leaps from the log and over to his brother who is clutching at his left side. The smell of his brother's blood is overwhelming, but the young half-breed refuses to look weak in front of his wounded brother. Had he been attacked? Inuyasha wonders idly as Sesshomaru lowers himself to his knees.

Inuyasha stares intently at Sesshomaru's face. There is dirt smudged over his chin and his nose as though he'd wiped sweat from his face and replaced it with mud. It is then that Inuyasha realises that his brother's torn, bloodied, silk kimono is soaked, just as his hair is. They stick to them both uncomfortably and after carefully peeling away the hair stuck to Sesshomaru's cheek, he hesitantly speaks.

Inuyasha's voice is soft, "Sessho?"

"I am fine, little brother. There is a spring nearby. I am in need of rest." His words come out as ragged pants, ones that shake his frame and make Inuyasha's heart freeze from fear.

The little boy nods, before he clutches at his brother's kimono and carefully tugs him along. He can't support or help Sesshomaru with anything more than he is doing now; he is too little, too weak and he is afraid. He hasn't seen a wounded person, not from battle.

It takes them twenty minutes to reach the small hot spring, much slower than what Sesshomaru would usually take to travel anywhere. Inuyasha announces its appearance; Sesshomaru has kept his head down, as though it hurts to lift it.

Once again Inuyasha places himself at Sesshomaru's side as the demon Lord lowers himself to the ground unsteadily before he begins to peel away the few pieces of armour still hanging off him and sheds his kimono. Inuyasha is watching unabashedly, even as Sesshomaru slides into the small pool of warm, weird smelling water.

Inuyasha eyes a large gash that runs along his brother's right shoulder, right down to his left hip. He winces, "Sessho doesn't that hurt? Maybe you should wait…" He says hesitantly.

Sesshomaru sighs, "I will be fine, Inuyasha."

The half-breed nods and sighs and he eyes Sesshomaru's hair with wonder; it was so white, so shiny, then his stomach tumbles, "Do you want Inuyasha to wash your hair, Sessho? There's blood in it." Inuyasha pointed to his brother's mane, carefully and jittery as he crept nearer. "Does blood stain?"

Sesshomaru regards Inuyasha with an even stare from the corners of his eyes. He doesn't move and Inuyasha almost asks if Sesshomaru can; his wounds look like they would hurt, Inuyasha is amazed his brother had managed to make it to him on time. "I do not think so. You may clean it."

Inuyasha is instantly sitting behind Sesshomaru's head. His brother must lower himself so that he has his chin in the warm water, before Inuyasha can wash it properly. Clumsily, the half-breed attempts to reach and comb the blood out of Sesshomaru's hair. He cannot reach. Inuyasha frowns menacingly.

Without a thought of doubt, Inuyasha is yanking off his own clothes, and is surprised to see that Sesshomaru is staring at him with a look of disbelief (which was indicated only by the slight widening of Sesshomaru's eyes), "Sessho is it alright if Inuyasha comes in?"

"You may." Sesshomaru says, returning to his usual stony faced silence as he again relaxed in the water. Inuyasha carefully slid in, eyeing his brother as he swiped away the grime and blood and pressed the two sides of his larger wounds together, wanting them to seal and disappear.

"Why was Sessho fighting?" Inuyasha asks softly as he carefully paddles to sit behind Sesshomaru; the rock is warm beneath the water and Inuyasha takes a moment to wiggle and squirm and smile before he gingerly tugs on his brother's blood drenched hair.

He begins to rub at it, and peels the blood away, before he must start rubbing it between his palms. Sesshomaru doesn't seem to mind and Inuyasha feels a strong surge of pride submerge him as he continues to work on Sesshomaru's hair. He dunks the few strands he has been washing under the water, before starting his cycle again.

"You know that this Sesshomaru is the Lord of these lands. As such, it is my duty to protect them. I have silenced the uproar the cat demon tribe were causing; they do not agree on our family's rule over these lands, they seem to think Father stole them from them."

Inuyasha's ears are perked and he listens intently, "Oh. So Sessho has to beat up enemies all the time?"

"No. Some tribes grow too confident. The cat demon tribe will not defy me again."

"Did they defy Father?"

"No."

Inuyasha has finished the hair he'd grabbed and he reaches for some more, repeating his actions again, he frowns at a particularly stubborn flake of blood. Distractedly, he asks, "Hey Sessho, why did the cat demon tribe defy you and not father."

"I am still a child by demon standards. They think me weak."

"They don't think Sessho's weak do they?" Inuyasha joked and giggled, pausing in his rubbing. "Do other people think Sessho is weak? You're not weak are you, Sessho?"

Sesshomaru doesn't pause in his grooming, and Inuyasha watches with curiousity as Sesshomaru skips all his stripes while he bathes, "The council that rules Japan, is made up of four Lords (one for each of the four lands), their generals and closest advisors. We all stand under a common Lord who rules over the whole of Japan. They believe I am too young to be Lord, I shall prove them wrong." Inuyasha pauses in his ministrations as Sesshomaru dunks under the water and takes some of his soaked mane into his own hands and begins to scrub at the blood also. He continues as though he is speaking to himself, attempting to make himself believe what he says, "No. I am strong. I would not be Lord if I were not."

There is a long silence as both boys concentrate on getting Sesshomaru's hair back to it's usual sparkling white from the top of his head, to the bottom of each strand. Inuyasha's liquid sunshine eyes flicker between clean hair in his hands and his brother's head. He then speaks again, softly, "Does Inuyasha have to fight to protect Sessho's land when he's older?"

Sesshomaru turns slightly, to look over his shoulder, "You will not."

"Oh," Inuyasha lets go of Sesshomaru's hair, "Okay. Sessho's hair's done."

Sesshomaru nods, "Quickly wet your hair, Inuyasha, I will wash yours."

Inuyasha grins, and dives under the water, careful of his ears that are lying flat against his head. He blinks up at Sesshomaru cutely as his brother strokes each white ear before rubbing and brushing his fingers through his little brother's hair. Inuyasha feels very relaxed as his brother does so, like when his mother rubs his ears when he goes to bed. He sighs and dunks under the water again at Sesshomaru's command.

The half-breed stared at his brother, surprised to find his brother's gash gone. Completely, as though it had never been there. "What happened to Sessho's cut?"

"Demons heal quickly, quicker in water."

"Oh. Why?"

Sesshomaru moves to step up onto the bank of the hot spring, before he wrings his hair out and combs his claws through it, "I do not know."

"Will Inuyasha heal quickly like that?"

His brother doesn't miss a beat and continues brushing his hair, his eyes on Inuyasha's still nude form. "You're half human. You will not heal as quickly as I do." Sesshomaru flicks his hair back over his shoulder and reaches for his bloodied kimono, "Get dressed, Inuyasha."

The small boy nods enthusiastically, "Okay!" When he'd managed to get himself completely dressed, he is quick to rush after his brother, who is striding towards their clearing. Inuyasha has already begun telling his brother all about his mother's new medicine and how disgusting it is.

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**Woffy: **There really wasn't much point to this one-shot. Really... But I really like the idea of both brothers sitting down and grooming each other, while chatting. -_shrug_- I hope you enjoyed. 

Thank you to _DemonGoddess061, perishedlove, C-loke, HPTR Fangirl, I'm Nova, Tax man _and _Sesshygirl_ for reviewing the last chapter!

Next and FINAL Theme: Waning Moon (as inspired by _perishedlove_)


	25. Waning Moon

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the series _Inuyasha _or it's characters... That honour goes to Rumiko Takahashi... 

**Rating: **M

**Warnings: **Incest, yaoi, OOCness, implied sex, swearing.

* * *

**Waning Moon**

**25.** Waning Moon

It is known to his close advisors, Rin and Ah Un, that Sesshomaru can be a patient, considerate, demon Lord. It isn't often (unless he is attacked) that he would instantly strike out at his subordinates, be them human or demon. But Sesshomaru hasn't had a day without Inuyasha stalking him in over a month now and he is sick of it. He wishes for the half-breed to state what he finds so interesting about him and why he must insist upon staring with his critically appreciating gaze. It seems he is 'love sick' if he is to believe Rin.

He turns from his garden's, serene, blue lake and stares discouragingly at his brother, who is sitting underneath his seemingly favourite Sakura tree, watching him as he ponders over his lands. Sesshomaru is to be meeting the Southern Lord in order to discuss the problems a particular monkey tribe has been causing their villagers.

"Is this Sesshomaru different from the ones you have spent time with in the past?" He asks coldly, eyeing his brother's strewn about form. Inuyasha is sitting lazily against the tree, his posture horrendous. He is frowning, but the demon Lord ignores the expression stubbornly. Sesshomaru doesn't doubt why Inuyasha sometimes complains about his back, not with the way he is slouched.

Inuyasha seems oddly solemn, even as he stands and strides to Sesshomaru's side. He lowers himself to the grass beside his brother, his golden eyes staring into his own with a questioning expression flickering inside them.

"You look," Inuyasha pauses, and Sesshomaru hears him swallow as his serious and calm façade disappears. He is suddenly looking very nervous, "You look good, just like always, Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru blinks, slowly and then blinks again. This is odd. "Thank you, but I would prefer it if you would not stare. It is considered disrespectful."

Inuyasha doesn't seem to hear as he continues to watch Sesshomaru speak, ignorant of his words. Sesshomaru sits straighter and lifts his remaining hand so that it is in his lap. His brother's actions are strange; he is acting bizarre: calm, then nervous, still odd. He is being nothing like the brash, heathen his brother usually is.

"How many demons have you bedded?" The sudden question and the question itself knock Sesshomaru from his thoughts and he stares unabashedly at his brother who is looking more than a bit angry, his brows furrowed and his frown cutting deeper into his face. His personal life is just that, personal.

Sesshomaru can count on his fingers how many people he has allowed to bed him. But he will not tell Inuyasha that. The fool has been raised around humans; he is bound to think him impaired. Male humans seemed to pride themselves in how many times they have sex, and if they did not, they were considered unable to or crippled by an evil spirit. Sesshomaru will not be explaining his few couplings to his brother.

"I do not know. I do not count how many people I sleep with, little brother." Sesshomaru regards Inuyasha with critical, narrow, liquid gold eyes.

Inuyasha snorts and looks away, a petulant pout on his lips, "So you've slept with heaps. Figures…" He is now frowning darkly.

The demon Lord cannot make decide what is wrong with his brother. He seems downcast, nervous and he seems to be taking his misconception of Sesshomaru's bedding habits to heart. Sesshomaru doesn't appreciate his brother's comment or tone one bit. It is disrespectful and Sesshomaru will not allow even his younger brother to speak to him as he had.

"You misunderstand. I said I will not tell you, I do not mean I have bedded many, Inuyasha." His expression is calm and Sesshomaru stares with wonder as Inuyasha brightens.

It is true that Sesshomaru hasn't bedded many. He finds it annoying to have women through themselves upon him, or hide behind their colourful fans attempting to look alluring. He finds men to be even worse, thinking they will have a beta to take to bed with his feminine appearance. It is far too troublesome and there had been no point; Sesshomaru had never stayed home for long before Inuyasha decided to live with him.

Sesshomaru remembers a particularly embarrassing attempt to bed him when another Lord's son was visiting to talk to his father. At that age, he hadn't been able to control the colour that had instantly rushed to his cheeks when the Lord had taken his hand, slipped his arm around his thin waist and pulled him into his lap, all the while making suggestive comments of his hair, hands, lips and - other places. It seemed, even with his struggling and demanding to be released, the blush that had been staining his cheeks had only seemed to give the ignorant lizard the idea that he was playing coy. That had been when his father had found them and threatened the heathen with death.

Sesshomaru is glad the Lord hasn't shown his face in his lands; he doubts he will be able to control himself and might burn the fool's face off, or other parts of his anatomy; no one treats him as though he is a common whore.

"I want to tell you something." Inuyasha says suddenly, after a few minutes of silence.

Sesshomaru nods, which is the slightest tilt of his head. Sesshomaru feels his pulse pick up; he feels as though he is being flirted with. Inuyasha is being far more subtle, he is being cautious, but his tone drips of that the monk uses with him and his mate when he was being his usual degrading, lecherous self.

"Sesshomaru, I know we – we've had our differences," He says as though he'd practiced his forthcoming speech, "I know we haven't exactly gotten along." He looks confused, he looks frustrated and Sesshomaru finds it amusing how the half-breed's eyes close tightly and his fists clench in an attempt to calm himself.

"You are not very good at this." He states blandly. "If you continue to waste my time I will simply leave; I have more important matters to attend to."

Inuyasha lets out a deep growl before he shouts, "Oi! Shut up, asshole! It's hard to tell someone you love them!"

Once again, Sesshomaru finds that he can only stare and blink as his brother's face colours and he is suddenly quiet. Then he suddenly feels very angry. Sesshomaru rises gracefully from where he was kneeling, "You should know better, Inuyasha. I am the Lord of these-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know! You're the Lord of the Western Lands. Big deal! I just admitted to loving you! It has nothing to do with your position; I could care less for these lands!" It seems, Sesshomaru notes, as though Inuyasha has once again stoked the fire that burns inside his eyes.

Inuyasha also returns to his feet and stands directly in front of his, staring him in the eyes stubbornly. He is a half a head shorter than Sesshomaru, but the Lord doesn't doubt that Inuyasha doesn't care; he has faced foes three – four times his size and bigger. Why would his brother not attack him, especially after slicing off his arm?

The half-breed's voice is smug when he speaks and a smirk graces his features, "It's a worry that you want to run from love, Sesshomaru. I never considered you a coward." Sesshomaru's cold stare turns to a glare at his brother's insinuation and he opens his mouth to speak, "Now shut up, stop running and bend down so I can fucking kiss you."

Sesshomaru doesn't receive the chance to accept or decline Inuyasha's kiss, when he feels his kimono crumple under Inuyasha's unskilled hands and he is yanked forward. Their lips meet clumsily and Sesshomaru idly notices that his brother's lips are moist and soft and he remembers the lesson he'd provided him on the matter.

A moment later, Inuyasha has pulled back and he is studying Sesshomaru's face with all of his attention.

Sesshomaru cannot believe the half-breed's nerve! No one has ever disregarded his orders! They are all smart enough and respect him enough not to! His hand moves to Inuyasha's shoulder, ready to push him away – far away! – When he yet again pulled down. This time, a mere second after their lips are joined, Sesshomaru feels Inuyasha's tongue lap at his lips and, when he doesn't respond, his right claws stroke down his cheek, over his markings.

The demon Lord cannot help but moan and shiver at the tingly pleasure that flows with his blood at the caress it is a swiftly used opportunity as Inuyasha slithers his tongue into his mouth to lap at his own.

Sesshomaru's hand clutches onto Inuyasha's fire-rat clothed shoulder tighter; he doesn't know what to do. Inuyasha will be punished for his disrespect! But Sesshomaru doesn't push him away; he hasn't done this in a long time and his markings are starting to pulse with pleasure as Inuyasha swipes at them again. Push or pull? He sighs and moans again as Inuyasha's claws scratch at his striped left cheek.

Perhaps - Perhaps they could. Just once, just to humour Inuyasha…

Sesshomaru pushes Inuyasha away, sending him a couple of steps back, when he feels the half-breed nip at his lip and tug, drawing blood. He licks it away before glancing at Inuyasha, "You will not take me here." He says.

Inuyasha reddens, "I-I wasn't planning to – you know…?"

Sesshomaru's stare holds no shame as he gasps in breath, "I was under the impression that you would want to be alpha; you approached me. You do not want to?"

"No! I mean yes! I do want to have sex with you! But not right away! I-"

Sesshomaru regards Inuyasha's flushed face with a raised brow, "Is this another of your human customs?" Inuyasha nods. Sesshomaru turns, ready to head to his chambers. Humans are fickle creatures, he decides finally, he shall never understand them.

There is a tense silence between them. Sesshomaru breathes deeply, trying to calm his body. He is sure he smells of arousal because of Inuyasha's caressing of his markings, and quickly chooses to take a bath. It is best that he doesn't alert his advisors as to what has happened between them.

"You do realise we can still kiss?" Inuyasha asks and Sesshomaru is sure he can hear hope in the half-breed's voice.

Sesshomaru turns back to his brother, "Not if you continue as you are. I am sure we will not abide by your human custom should we continue as we were."

Suddenly, Inuyasha is grinning, seemingly more relaxed than he had been, "So you will? But only if I bed you?"

Sesshomaru scowls, "No, stop thinking like the monk. It is disgraceful."

The next thing he knows, Sesshomaru is being tugged along after the half-breed, the markings adorning his wrist trapped beneath a warm palm and figners, "Inuyasha, stop this at once."

"Shut up! You'll enjoy yourself and this is your idea!"

Sesshomaru frowns as he is tugged into a large long leap, one that places him outside his chamber's window, "You are not going to follow your custom, Inuyasha?" He asks, cheeks pink from Inuyasha's hand.

"Since when have I followed anyone's rules? Now hurry up and undress, I've been wanting to do this for ages."

"I will not be beta," Sesshomaru says as he tugs at his armour's ties.

Inuyasha turns on him and once again they are kissing. Sesshomaru idly realises his kimono is being stripped from his pale form. He feels warm, clawed fingertips rub at the magenta markings on his hips and gasps.

Perhaps it will not hurt to allow Inuyasha to take him this once; he is feeling shaky.

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**Woffy:** Well there you go, the last chapter. What does this have to do with 'Waning Moon' you ask? Waning means weakening, and I've always associated Sesshomaru with the moon! -_grin_- 

Anyway, it's been lovely making this, and I've enjoyed writing this much more than I thought I would. Thank you to _C-loke, DemonGoddess061, Sesshygirl, Jester08, perishedlove, Sciplore _and _Preistess Reiko_ for your reveiws last chapter! I appreciate them all!

Do you think you all could review again? One last time? Tell me your last and final thoughts on this series?

Anyway, look out for me! I have no doubt I'll be around! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this!


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